The campaign train of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar made a stop in Kano state on Thursday.
During his campaign rally in the North Western state, the former vice president reiterated his plans to reopen the borders, restore peace and ensure agriculture and industrial revolutions, among others.
However, a major highlight of the rally was his failure and the party hierarchy to recognise either of the party’s parallel gubernatorial candidates.
The events at the rally was devoid of the usual rites of handing over of party flags to the party’s gubernatorial candidate.
The opposition party (PDP) in Kano State has been engulfed in a leadership crisis, which culminated in the emergence of two parallel gubernatorial candidates: Mohammad Abacha and Sadiq Wali. While Wali, son of former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Aminu Wali, was acknowledged by the electoral umpire in its list, a substantive court judgment had given the mandate to Abacha, son of former Head of State, General Sani Abacha (late).
At the campaign rally of the party at the Sani Abacha stadium, It’s gathered that both candidates were together with Atiku on the stage but the former the vice president did not make reference to either of them nor raise the hands of either of them while addressing the crowd.
A source among the party’s hierarchy, who asked not to be named, told our correspondent that the party was being careful, especially as it was expecting the Supreme Court to rule on the issue on Friday (today). “We don’t want Atiku to raise the hands of Abacha today (Thursday) and tomorrow (Friday), the Supreme Court will say it is Wali that is our candidate,” he said.
In his short speech, Atiku asked Kano voters if they want the return of peace in Kano, as well as a booming agriculture and industries, and the reopening of borders, to which the crowd answered in the affirmative. He said: “Only PDP administration can implement these four policies, that’s why I am appealing to you to vote PDP from top to bottom and I promise you these policies will be implemented.”