Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party has announced the Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, as his running mate for the 2023 presidential election.
Atiku had earlier announced that he will be announcing his running mate on Thursday.
Atiku made the announcement at a meeting attended by PDP executives at the party’s headquarters in Abuja.
“I am delighted to announce Governor @IAOkowa as my Vice Presidential candidate. I look forward to travelling our great country together, engaging with all Nigerians and building a shared future of peace, unity, and prosperity for all. As One We Can Get It Done. #OneNigeria,” he said via his Twitter handle.
PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, had set up a 17-member committee to pick a running mate for Atiku.
According to the Chairman, the committee had submitted three names to Atiku to choose from.
The final decision however, Ayu said, was Atiku’s.
Speaking at the announcement event, Atiku said making a choice between the three names had been a difficult decision.He also noted that some of the qualities he looked out for include someone who understands the enormity of the challenges facing the country and one who has demonstrated, from experience, that he can proffer some solutions.
He said he looked out for one who has the qualities of a president, who can stand in for him when he’s not around.
According to him, while all the three names submitted were qualified, he had to settle for just one: Okowa.
Okowa had arrived the PDP headquarters in a celebratory mood. Some party members had already been waiting to receive him and heartily congratulated him.
Okowa’s name was one of the names submitted alongside that of his chief contender for the position Governor Nyesom Woke.
But in the end Okowa has emerged as the favoured one.
Earlier, there had been reports that PDP had ruled out Wike from the list, but the party had denied reports that it had ruled out Wike from the Vice Presidential race.“If anything, our Party reiterates its confidence in Governor Nyesom Wikes’s outstanding ability and commitment to the ideals and values of the PDP,” a statement signed by spokesperson, Debo Ologunagba, said.
“His records of achievement as a Local Government Chairman, Chief of Staff to the Rivers State Governor, Minister of State for Education, currently Governor of Rivers State and the runner-up in the PDP Presidential Primary stand him out as possessing requisite qualities, qualifications, capacity and wide acceptability for the position of the Vice-Presidential candidate of our Party.“
“The various positions creditably held by Governor Nyesom Wike distinguished him as an excellent team player in public governance.
“In fact, Governor Wike’s energy, brilliance, commitment and passion were acknowledged by the National Working Committee (NWC) of our Party and he is adjudged as the foremost candidate in consideration for the position of the Vice-Presidential candidate of the PDP.
“While the PDP notes the interest of the media and the public in our Party’s choice of Vice-Presidential candidate it is imperative to state that as an organic Party, all our processes will be followed through in strict adherence to our procedures before any official announcements.
“The PDP urges Nigerians to disregard the mischievous reports aimed at undermining our Party’s unity at this critical time.”
