A week before Rabiu Kwankwaso was denied the use of the Eagle Square in Abuja for his presidential declaration, the same venue had been approved for him, PREMIUM TIMES learnt.

Mr Kwankwaso, who recently defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had announced Wednesday as the day for of his formal declaration.

The senator’s presidential declaration had been widely expected. He was Kano Governor when President Muhammadu Buhari secured his largest votes in Kano State in the 2015 presidential election. Mr Kwankwaso also came second to Mr Buhari in the APC presidential primaries then before declaring support for the latter who won the general election to become president.

The ex-Kano governor has boasted that he, of all PDP presidential aspirants, has the best chance to defeat Mr Buhari in 2019.

So when on Sunday, his campaign committee announced he would declare his presidential ambition formally in Abuja at the Eagle Square, not a few Nigerians paid attention to it. His aide also told PREMIUM TIMES that Abuja was chosen, rather than Kano where he enjoys massive support, for easy access to attendees from across the country.

THE APPROVAL

On August 20, three days after he applied to use the Eagle Square for his declaration, the management of the venue approved his request.

The Integrated Facility Management Services Limited, the firm saddled by the Abuja administration to manage the Eagle Square wrote to Rasy International and Properties Limited, the private firm through which Mr Kwankwaso applied for use of the venue.