The campaign train moved to the Yar’adua family house to pay homage to Hajiya Dada, mother of late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua, and then headed to the Muhammadu Dikko stadium Katsina, the venue of the campaign rally.
By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor
The presidential campaign train of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) arrived at Katsina State to a grand welcome by thousands of supporters today, December 20.
The rally, held at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium, was filled to capacity with overflow.
The Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, had initially declined the PDP presidential campaign from holding its rally at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium. But following public outcry, the state government approved the request of the PDP campaign to use the township stadium built by the PDP administration of former Governor Ibrahim Shehu Shema.
Before heading to the stadium, the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, visited the Emir of Katsina, Dr Abdulmuminu Kabir Usman, in his palace where he announced a donation of N50m to victims of insecurity in Katsina state.
Atiku said he was in the palace to seek advice, prayers and blessings from the royal father in his quest to become president of the country.
He said he was disturbed by the problems of insecurity and economic hardship disturbing all parts of the country and promised to focus on them if elected.
In his response, the Emir said he saw light in Atiku’s quest of becoming the president of Nigeria in 2023.
The monarch said he was happy that the presidential candidate has promised to tackle insecurity and economic problems, which he said were the issues that got him hospitalized recently.
He prayed for a successful and peaceful election in 2023, saying the country belongs to all citizens irrespective of their tribal or religious inclinations.
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Atiku was in Katsina with his deputy presidential candidate, Ifeanyi Okowa; Katsina Governorship candidate, Sen. Yakubu Lado; and his campaign’s director-general, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.
Others in attendance were; former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido; former governor of Kano, Sen. Ibrahim Shekarau; former governor of Kaduna, Sen. Ahmed Muhammad Makarfi; former governor of Niger, Babangida Aliyu as well as former Speaker, Yakubu Dogara; and the campaign spokesman, Dino Melaye amongst many others.
From the Emir’s palace, the campaign train moved to the Yar’adua family house to pay homage to Hajiya Dada, the mother of late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua, and then headed to the Muhammadu Dikko stadium Katsina, the venue of the campaign rally.
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