Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is expected to arrive in Sokoto State today, Wednesday, for the flag-off of his presidential campaign ahead of the 2027 general election.
Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), is scheduled to arrive at the Sultan Abubakar III International Airport in the state at 9:00 a.m.
The party has called on ADC supporters, party leaders and members of the public to turn out in large numbers to welcome the former vice president.
In a press statement announcing the visit, the ADC Sokoto State Presidential Campaign Coordinator, Senator Ibrahim Abdullahi Lamido, invited supporters and other well-meaning members of the public to receive Atiku at the airport.
The statement also disclosed that the presidential campaign flag-off would take place at the ADC state secretariat, located at No. 1 Ilorin Road, Sokoto.
Lamido urged party executives at the local government and ward levels, mobilisation coordinators, support groups, women and youth organisations to activate their respective structures to ensure maximum participation.
He said the party was expecting a massive turnout for the event, which marks the commencement of its presidential campaign activities in the state.
The development comes days after the ADC postponed the Sokoto campaign flag-off, which was initially scheduled for Saturday, October 31, to Wednesday, November 4.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that the party’s Presidential Campaign Council in Sokoto State announced the postponement in a statement signed by its Director-General, Bello Aliyu Goronyo.
The council explained that the decision was taken to address planning and coordination issues to ensure the successful conduct of the event.
“The decision follows the need to address certain planning and coordination considerations to ensure the successful conduct of the event,” the statement said.
The council also apologised for any inconvenience caused by the change in date and appealed to party leaders, stakeholders and supporters to remain patient and continue supporting the party.
The postponement came amid reports of difficulties surrounding hotel accommodation in Sokoto ahead of the originally scheduled campaign flag-off. Reports had alleged that some hotel owners were unwilling to release rooms to prospective guests after bookings were reportedly made ahead of the event.
Meanwhile, the ADC Presidential Campaign Council at the national level had earlier disowned an unsigned campaign timetable circulating on social media.
The council, in a statement signed by its Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, clarified that the document, which contained proposed dates and venues for campaign activities across the country, was not authorised.
“The African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council (ADC-PCC) has disowned an unsigned campaign timetable currently in circulation, clarifying that the document did not emanate from the Council or its campaign office,” Ologbondiyan said.
He urged party members and stakeholders to disregard the document and rely on official communications from the campaign council.
“Accordingly, all members and stakeholders are urged to disregard the document and await official communications from the ADC-PCC on campaign activities and schedules,” he added.
Atiku’s visit to Sokoto is part of the ADC’s preparations for the 2027 presidential election, in which the opposition party is seeking to mobilise support across the country to challenge President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
