2023 presidency: Okowa may emerge as Atiku running mate

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, who weekend emerged as the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is currently faced with another tough political situation, deciding who will fly the party flag with him in the 2023 presidential election, a running mate.

Sources in the leading opposition party have confirmed that shopping for a running mate for Atiku has commenced.

Multiple sources including those in the camp of Atiku said they are considering a serving governor from the South-South geopolitical zone with him.

Although Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta and his counterpart in Akwa Ibom, Udom Emmanuel, featured prominently on the possible running mate list, Okowa is said to have received more support from the Atiku camp and the party leaders.

Some elders of the party are also said to be making a strong case for Nyesome Wike, the Rivers State governor, who came second in the PDP presidential primary election.

A source close to Atiku said before the primary, they had resolved to pick the running mate from the South-South geopolitical zone.

“Except for last-minute change, we are looking at Governor Okowa for the position. He has consistently supported our camp despite all backlashes. He mobilised resources for us and ensured that all the delegates of his voted for us,” Daily Trust quoted one of the leaders of the campaign team to have said.

It however reported another source in the party as stressing that although they had resolved that the running mate be picked from the South-South, the issue of Okowa had not been sealed.

“There is a division on it, some are saying him but others especially elders of the party, said Wike should be considered because of his performance at the primary,” the party leader said.

He also said that Governor Udom Emmanuel Akwa Ibom, who came fourth with 38 votes at the primary, was also lobbying to be considered for the seat.

At the 2019 general election, Atiku, who was the candidate of the party, picked a former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, as his running mate.

Obi was one of the PDP’s frontline presidential aspirants but resigned his membership from the party on May 24. He later joined the Labour Party, as one of its presidential aspirants, describing it as a route that he considered to be in line with his political aspirations.

Daily Trust reports that the main factor that led to the defection of Obi was the decision of the Atiku’s camp to look elsewhere for a running mate.