Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, plans to adopt an “aggressive” ward-to-ward Campaign against the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, in the 2019 elections, it was learnt on Wednesday, November 1, 2018.
The PDP agreed that taking the battle to the grassroots, is the “best political weapon to defeat the APC” in the presidential campaign that begins on November 18, 2018.
Also, there are strong indications that Atiku and his team have finalised the list of members of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council.
Atiku, who is expected back from Dubai, at the weekend, is likely to release the list immediately after his return.
He has been meeting with his running mate, Peter Obi; the PDP National Chairman, Uche Secondus; Director-General/Chairman of the Presidential Campaign Council, Bukola Saraki; former Director-General of the Atiku Campaign Organisation, Gbenga Daniel; and some Zonal Coordinators.
It was learnt that the meetings centred only on the strategy to defeat President Muhammadu Buhari, in 2019.
“The essence of the Dubai meeting is how to take the battle to APC’s doorsteps, and win the 2019 poll,” A source, who spoke in confidence said:
“One of the options agreed upon is the aggressive campaign from ward-to-ward, to carry the masses along. They chose this option, because Buhari has ‘mob’ appeal at the grassroots, especially in the North.
“So, this Ward-to-Ward PDP Campaign, will involve all members of the party, instead of recourse to jamboree. The battle will be fought in the print media, television and radio stations, and on the internet, based on facts and figures.”
The source added: “In the next few days, the PDP Candidate or the party, will unveil members of the Presidential Campaign Council. The list has been finalised.
“Barring any last minute change of mind, Atiku is expected back, this weekend. The PDP will soon release the #LetsGetNigeriaWorkingAgain document, which will be a bombshell. All the members of the Strategy Team have been working round the clock, to come up with a blueprint which is different from what APC has offered in the last three and half years.”
Elsewhere, a source in the APC said: “Whether the PDP Candidate and Chieftains have gone to Dubai, is not an issue. What we want to do is to give feedback to Nigerians on the mandate given to us, three years ago.
“We need to go back to the electorates for the renewal of the mandate. So, we are not really contesting with PDP; we have business with Nigerians.”
