By Folorunso Alagbede, Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has resolved to pick the Rivers State Governor, Barrister Nyesom Wike as the running mate to its 2023 presidential candidate, Alhaji President, Atiku Abubakar.
This indication emerged yesterday at the end of the meeting of a committee set up to look for an acceptable vice presidential candidate for the party ahead of next year’s general election.
The members of the committee, which met for hours at the headquarters of the PDP in Wuse, Abuja yesterday, findings showed, resolved to settle for Governor Wike after series of arguments and assessment of others proposed for the position.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), it will be recalled, had announced Friday, 17th June, 2022 as the deadline for all political parties to submit the names of their Presidential candidates and running mates.
The Prof Mahmood Yakubu-led INEC had categorically declared that name of any presidential candidate and running mate not submitted to the Commission latest by Friday will be considered as invalid.
The deadline has however put the various political parties which have indicated interest to contest the presidential election under serious pressure for some days now.
Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who was also the PDP’s presidential candidate for the 2019 general election, it will be recalled,
singlehandedly picked the former Anambra State Governor, Mr Peter Obi, who has decamped to Labour Party (LP) last month, as his running mate, without input from the PDP.
A reliable source who is a member of the Committee charged with the responsibility of coming up with acceptable candidates for Atiku to choose from as running mate, disclosed that members of the committee and other party stakeholders have settled for Barrister Wike.
It was gathered that the majority of the committee members voted in favour of Wike.
With this development, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar will decide whether to run with the Rivers State Governor or not.
Wike came second at the presidential primaries where Atiku Abubakar emerged as the presidential flag bearer of the main opposition party about two weeks ago.
At the end of the meeting of the committee, led by the PDP Deputy National Chairman (North), Mr Umar Damagum Tuesday in Abuja, the sources said “ we have agreed that Wike should be Atiku’s running mate, the presidential candidate have the final say”.
It was gathered that the committee will meet with Wike tomorrow, Wednesday in Abuja.
Recall that Atiku polled 371 votes while Wike scored 237 votes to come second at the PDP National Convention held at MKO Abiola Stadium in Abuja.
Earlier in his interaction with members of the committee, PDP National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu charged the Damagum-led committee to come up with an acceptable running mate.
Ayu disclosed that Atiku wrote to the party leadership and urged them to come up with their preferred choice as running mate.
He said “the presidential candidate of our party would have been here but this morning he suddenly dashed somewhere, he apologised and if he comes early, he will join us but we will go ahead with the assignment he has given us.
“The candidate wrote to us as the administrative arm of the party on the choice of his running mate. Various organs of the party are well represented in his committee, National Working Committee (NWC), governors forum, national assembly and former governors forum.
“I wish you a successful deliberation and I hope you come up with a conclusion between tomorrow and Friday”, he said.
Ayu commended Atiku’s decision to carry everybody along unlike in 2019 when he didn’t consult widely in his choice of running mate.
Members of the committee who attended the meeting included; former President of the Sentinel President, David Mark, House Minority Leader, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal and Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed.
Others include “former governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu, former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, former Cross Rivers State Governor, Liyel Imoke, former governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko, Senator Philips Aduda, PDP National Secretary, Sam Anyanwu and National Organising Secretary, Hon. Umar Bature.
