‘Why Atiku did not campaign in Ogun’

A former Ogun State Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel on Thursday was engaged in a last minute push for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar ahead of Saturday’s poll, blaming inadequate timing for the former Vice President’s inability to conduct open rally in the state.

Daniel, who is the Deputy Chairman of PDP Presidential Campaign Council (South), led Atiku’s campaign train to Ogun Central and West Senatorial districts, ahead of the election.

Daily Trust reports that Atiku did not hold a rally in the state, but his wife, Mrs Titi Abubakar had visited the state to campaign for her husband.

Daniel, in an interview with newsmen today on the sidelines of the tour, noted that “Ogun is already a done deal for Atiku.”

He said: “He (Atiku) has been to Ogun State on a number of occasions. It’s just a question of strategy. Sometimes you go and do big rallies. But don’t forget rallies that are done like that are meant to collect the converted. And you know our Ogun State is a very sophisticated environment. I think we have done what we need to do.

“For instance, yesterday, he was to be in Abuja and we cancelled Abuja. Time is very short. Part of the situation here is that we are quite sure in Ogun everybody is rooting for Atiku. It’s a done deal as far as we are concerned.”

The former Governor warned Nigerians to resist rigging and any attempt to postpone the election, saying such move may amount to derailing transition in Nigeria.

He also pointed out that the PDP candidate has demonstrated that “he has the capacity to restructure and he would restructure our country.”