Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar will visit the national headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party, Abuja, today Tuesday. His visit is coming two days after he returned to the party which he left in 2014.
The Convention Planning Committee of the party, set up to organise the elective national convention coming up on Saturday in Abuja, has banned the display of campaign posters of any presidential aspirants at the Eagle Square venue of the convention.
The committee, headed by the Governor of Delta State , Dr . Ifeanyi Okowa, also barred the supporters of the presidential contenders from the venue on Saturday. Atiku had resigned his membership of the All Progressives Congress about a week ago, claiming that the ruling party had deviated from its promises to Nigeria.
Besides, he accused the leadership of the party of not carrying its members along in decision making. Investigations by our correspondent showed that members of the National Caretaker Committee of the PDP, led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi, had been informed of Atiku's visit.
Authoritative sources who spoke to Punch, said the former vice president requested to meet with the caretaker committee in order to ensure his return to the party was without hitches. Atiku was said to have written a letter to Makarfi, requesting the visit.
The planned visit which would come up at noon was confirmed by the Publicity Secretary of the caretaker committee, Mr. Dayo Adeyeye, "It is true. We are expecting him on Tuesday , which is today. It is also an indication that his coming is real and that he means business. We are actually expecting him by noon tomorrow,” he added .
It was also gathered that his visit would enable him to know his status if he would be able to attend the party's national convention slated for Saturday in Abuja. As a former Vice President, the constitution of the party allows him to attend the convention.
However, since he has defected to the APC with other notable politicians, Atiku may require a waiver from the national leadership of the party before he could attend the convention as a delegate. A member of the National Working Committee of the party told our correspondent that the issue of waiver was being looked into.
Source: Punch