CSO Tasks Atiku on Choice of Running Mate Ahead of 2023 Elections
- The PDP has less than two days to make a decision on who flies a joint ticket with its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar
- There have been divergent opinions on the personality to be considered as a vice presidential candidate in the last few days
- A group has called on Atiku to choose a running mate who is s trustworthy, honest, and decent in every sense of the word
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FCT, Abuja - A civil society group, Peace Initiative Forum, has urged former vice president and the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to be circumspect in the choice of his running mate.
The group said Atiku should choose a person who will add value to the ticket and ensure the victory of the PDP in 2023.
Source: Facebook
It argued that the choice of a vice president is very important as more Nigerians are getting involved in politics.
The group said in a statement seen by Legit.ng:
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“With Peter Obi out of the picture, the south-south has become the new darling of the PDP. In recent days we have seen headlines suggesting that Delta governor Ifeanyi Okowa is the favourite to become Atiku Abubakar's running mate.
“However, recently, we have seen Rivers governor Nyesome Wike also emerged as the favourite. One thing is clear today that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar will be the one who decides the person that will be his running mate.
“According to the NWC of the PDP, Atiku will have 3 options to pick from.”
The group which said the list also included Akwa Ibom state governor, Udom Emmanuel, urged Atiku to critically consider the credentials of the trio in deciding his choice.
It said:
“The choice of Nyesom Wike will be a crowd-puller, especially in Rivers where Atiku did not do well in 2019. Wike is also a lion and mass mobilizer and can really excite the neutrals.
“The problem with Wike however is the endless list of utterances that are capable of offending people from across the country. He seems unable to control his emotions and as such creates crisis in peaceful times.
“He has had outbursts against his fellow governors, leaders in the south-south, Atiku Abubakar, the north as a whole, Igbo people, Yoruba people, etc.
“Okowa on the other hand seems to have a more laid-back approach. He appears gentle and soft-spoken although he has proved to have in his arsenal an element of surprise, especially after the surprise victory he pulled out in the governorship primaries in Delta where he upset the odds and ensured his candidate emerged.
“Okowa enjoys the respect of his fellow governors and can give the presidency the much-needed calm and influence.
“The downside for Okowa is that he has just had a major fallout with James Ibori the godfather of Delta politics and this may appear yet another smack in his face. Ibori himself is an Atiku loyalist.
“Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom is another possibility. Udom has a history of transforming from being a banker to a political gladiator. Also, his success with Ibom Air has won a lot of admiration for the state government.
“Like Okowa, he is also gentle and very calm and as a person who is from the private sector, he can bring some solid knowledge as VP and chairman of the economic council.”
The group also counselled Atiku to consider a candidate who is trustworthy, honest, decent, and dependable to drive the vision of rescuing the country.
2023: Youth advocate advises Atiku to pick Wike as running mate
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the executive director of the Platform for Youth and Women Development, Ogoegbunam Kingdom, advised Atiku to pick Governor Wike as his running mate.
In a brief email chat with Legit.ng, Mr. Kingdom who called for a wide consultation said Governor Wike is the best vice presidential candidate who will deliver the entire southern region for Atiku and the PDP.
He said the Rivers state governor has massive cult followers in the south and in the middle belt region.
2023: Group predicts Atiku’s victory after Tinubu’s emergence as APC candidate
Meanwhile, the PDP New Generation has declared that with the emergence of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the presidential flagbearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku is now the president in waiting.
This was contained in a statement sent to Legit.ng by the group on Thursday, June 9, and signed by its Director-General, Audu Mahmood.
The group said with the emergence of Tinubu, the APC has given Nigerians the final nail to seal their coffin ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Source: Legit.ng
