Atiku takes campaign to US, PDP postpones presidential rallies
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Atiku Abubakar has taken his campaign to the United States, precipitating postponement of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential rallies at home where the candidate is up against opposition from G5 Governors and other party grandees.
A statement issued by the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation (PCO) Field Operations Director Umar Bature said the rallies scheduled for Ondo, Kebbi, Ekiti, and Bayelsa are temporarily put on ice.
“New dates will be communicated once they are fixed. All inconveniences regrettable,” he said.
Atiku jetted off to the US on Thursday, less than a week after he returned from Paris where political opponents alleged he underwent medical treatment sequel to his rumoured collapse in Kaduna.
All Progressives Congress (APC) Social Media Communication Femi Fani-Kayode alleged after Atiku left his rally in Kaduna on 17 October, he complained of being dizzy and later collapsed.
He said Atiku was flown to Paris for medical treatment and his photographs with unidentified journalists were staged to deceive the public.
But the Atiku Campaign insisted he went to France for business.
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Campaign schedule in US
The PUNCH reports that when talk was rife in 2018 that Atiku could not visit the US, he travelled to the country along with former Senate President Bukola Saraki and other allies.
The visit dismissed doubt Atiku could travel to the US because of his alleged involvement in corruption.
Saraki also accompanied him on Thursday for a weeklong electioneering in the US, where he would meet Nigerians in Diaspora and PDP members in North America.
He would also meet top Nigerian business leaders and young professionals.
Atiku is expected back on 31 October.
He is scheduled to return to the hustings in Ekiti on 1 November and take them to Ondo on 2 November.