Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar will on Saturday formally declare his presidential ambition ahead of the 2019 general election.
The declaration will be made at a rally scheduled to hold in Yola, the capital of his home state of Adamawa.
Atiku is contesting on the platform of the leading opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
According to a statement from his media office, the declaration is coming after several months of consultations with critical stakeholders in Nigeria and members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The media office stated that the declaration was in response to the yearnings of majority of Nigerians to enthrone a government that will fix the country’s broken economy, strengthen national unity and create much-needed jobs for Nigerians.
“After extensive consultations with his family, Nigerians of diverse dispensations at home and abroad, His Excellency Atiku Abubakar has decided to make a formal bid for the 2019 presidential election race under the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),” the media office added.
The media office stated that Atiku had embarked on nationwide consultative visits to many states across the country where he met with stakeholders in the PDP.
He has visited all but one of the states in the South-South geo-political zone, as well as some states in the South-East geo-political zone.
“Just this week, the former Vice President and leading presidential hopeful, embarked on visitations to states in the North-East zone where he met with stakeholders from Borno, Yobe, Gombe, Taraba and culminating with a grand rally in his honour by the Adamawa State Peoples Democratic Party in Yola on Saturday, 21 July,” the media office said.
It was, however, noted that the consultative visits to other geo-political zones of the country would continue in earnest after the formal declaration.
The declaration by Atiku would be followed with the unveiling of a policy document.
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“The campaign’s policy documents being baked by policy experts from diverse backgrounds and youth professionals across the country will be unveiled as soon as the process is concluded.
“The policy document covers a large area of Nigeria’s national life including the economy, restructuring, education, healthcare, agriculture, youth and women development among many others,” the media office added.