2023: PDP committee okays Wike as Atiku’s running mate

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, will emerge as the running mate of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, for the 2023 general election.

The latest development is coming after the National Advisory Committee set up by the PDP to look into the report of an earlier committee that recommended Wike as the party’s vice presidential candidate for the 2023 polls.

This comes amidst the directive by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to political parties in the country to submit the list of their candidates and running mates (presidential and governorship) from June 10 to 17, 2022.

The Star had reported that INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, gave the directive during a meeting with resident electoral commissioners in Abuja on Thursday.

However, a reliable source disclosed that the committee opted for Wike as Atiku’s running mate for the 2023 presidential election after considering two others, Governors Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta) and Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom).

“Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has been chosen by the committee. He was overwhelmingly voted for by the committee. Majority of the members see him as the ideal person to be the running mate to Atiku.

“You saw his showing at the primaries. The party leaders believe in his capacity and they have chosen him,” the source disclosed.

The leadership of the main opposition party also met at the PDP National Secretariat in Abuja on Tuesday.

Although the details of the meeting were not disclosed, the party confirmed the meeting via a tweet on its verified Twitter handle.

“Ongoing at the PDP National Secretariat, Abuja: Party leaders and other critical stakeholders are currently in a meeting to decide who will be the vice presidential candidate of the PDP in the 2023 general election,” the tweet read.

Wike came second in the PDP’s presidential primaries with 237 votes, while Atiku emerged as the party’s standard bearer having polled 371 votes.

The Star

Segun Ojo