Sokoto crowd beyond our expectations, says David Mark as Atiku flags off presidential campaign
By Ishaya Ibrahim
A mammoth crowd of enthusiastic supporters on Wednesday, November 4, welcomed the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to Sokoto State for the flag-off of his presidential campaign.
Supporters thronged the airport ahead of Atiku’s arrival. When his flight touched down at the Sultan Abubakar III International Airport, he was greeted by an overwhelming crowd, causing heavy traffic congestion on the road to the campaign venue.
Speaking at the rally, the ADC vice-presidential candidate, Rotimi Amaechi, said the last time he witnessed such a massive turnout was in 2014, during the presidential campaign of Muhammadu Buhari, who was then the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He noted that even during the 2019 election campaign, the party did not witness a similar turnout.
Also speaking, ADC National Chairman, David Mark, said it took the party’s delegation two hours to reach the campaign venue because of the traffic gridlock caused by the large crowd of supporters.
According to him, at every turn, they were greeted by cheering supporters, prompting him to repeatedly ask his driver whether they had arrived at the venue.
At the rally, Atiku reaffirmed his commitment to tackling insecurity, declaring that alleged attempts to frustrate the party’s campaign would not stop its activities ahead of the 2027 general election.
“I enumerated some of the promises I made to Nigerians. One of the promises is to make sure that security is restored in every part of this country,” he said.
Atiku spoke during the flag-off of his presidential campaign in Sokoto, where he urged Nigerians to support the ADC and vote for the party in the forthcoming general election.
His declaration came a day after he accused the Sokoto State Government and security operatives of plotting to disrupt the campaign rally. He alleged that the Department of State Services (DSS) was recruiting protesters to cause disturbances and create a situation that could be used to impose a curfew.
The former vice-president explained that Sokoto was deliberately chosen to host the campaign launch because of its historical significance and reputation for peace.
Recalling the promises he made during his previous presidential campaign, Atiku said he had returned to reaffirm his commitment to those pledges, particularly his promise to address insecurity if elected president.
He also urged Nigerians to turn out in large numbers on election day to vote for the ADC, expressing confidence in the party’s political mission.
