- Former vice president Atiku Abubakar has launched a major campaign to repair several years of damage done to his image
- Atiku is said to have traversed the United Kingdom in the last one month, talking to international opinion moulders on his true essence
- This is said to be in preparations for his declaration for a presidential run in 2019 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
A report by This Day newspaper indicates that former vice president Atiku Abubakar has launched a major campaign to repair several years of damage done to his image by his political foes as he traversed the United Kingdom in the last one month, talking to international opinion moulders on his true essence.
According to the report, the international image improvement engagements are preparatory to his declaration for a presidential run in 2019 on the platform of the PDP, which sources close to him said might not be later than the end of May.
Atiku is seen as a major contender for the 2019 presidential election against President Muhammadu Buhari. Photo credit: APC
READ ALSO: 7 factors that may work against Buhari in 2019 presidential election
“Aware of the implication of tackling this matter head on this time around, we decided Atiku should make deliberate efforts to disabuse the minds of the people, particularly, the international opinion moulders, whose views could affect his chances,” an unnamed associate of Atiku was quoted as saying in the report.
Although most of the engagements were passed off as business and academic meetings, in the form of lectures on economic issues of national importance to Nigeria, sources said the main objective of the Atiku team was to divert attention away from his not too complimentary political reputation and project him as a man of great ideas, who has been wilfully misrepresented.
Consequently, a series of foreign engagements have been lined up for him, including a major economic speech at London’s Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House) on Wednesday, April 25.
According to a statement by his media office, the keynote speech, entitled The Importance of Strengthening State Economic Management Systems, will unveil innovative and tangible solutions that once implemented would help Nigerian states come out from their current economic challenges and help get Nigeria working again.
READ ALSO: Buhari 2019: We are not fazed by president’s declaration - Atiku Group
It said during the trip to the UK, Atiku will also give another major keynote speech at the Invest Africa and British Council for Africa Annual Debate. He would speak alongside Dr Liam Fox, International Trade Secretary, UK Government, on the subject of “Building new trade partnerships in Africa.”
The statement noted that the speaking engagements were a follow-up to Atiku’s meeting in June of 2017 with Liam Fox and Prime Minister Theresa May, where they discussed the UK’s plan to increase trade with Nigeria post Brexit.
It added that during the trip the former vice president would also be the guest of honour at a lunch on Nigerian inward investment hosted by Lord Anthony St John (former UK Minister for Africa) and be a guest speaker at Round Table of key UK business leaders interested in investing in Nigeria at the Institute of Directors, Pall Mall.
The three-day trip, according to his media office, will be capped off by giving the keynote speech to UK Diaspora in the City of London on the subject of “Maximising the benefit to our economy of all our talents, wherever they may be.”
Expected to return to Nigeria early next month, Atiku, according to his associates, would immediately conclude his consultations with the major stakeholders in the party and thereafter formally launch his bid for the PDP presidential ticket.
PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigeria’s #1 news app
Meanwhile, a former military governor of Plateau state, Major-General Aliyu Adu Umar Kama (rtd), has urged those trying to contest against President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019 to wait till 2023.
Apparently referring to Atiku, former Jigawa state governor Sule Lamido and a former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Kingsley Moghalu among others, Kama said it would be unwise for anyone irrespective of their inclinations to want to contest against President Buhari.
Should President Buhari seek reelection in 2019? (Nigerian Street Interview) - on NAIJ.com TV
Source: Naija.ng