Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, has emerged as the running mate to the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar.
Mr. Okowa’s nomination was declared and verified by Atiku himself on Thursday at the unveiling occasion of his running mate held in Abuja.
Following the statement, Okowa will hereafter be checked by a committee already structured for that motive.
Recall that Wike, who has been the foreman on the radar of the PDP heavyweights was believed to be selected as the vice-presidential candidate of the main opposition party and was rumored to have been selected as Atiku’s running mate.
But the party, yesterday (Wednesday), dismissed reports that its Selection Committee has finalized to go for the Rivers State governor as the party’s vice-presidential candidate.
The National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said reports in the media that the PDP has picked Wike could only be in the realm of rumor, saying the National Working Committee was looking into the matter and consulting, to contemplate the best vice-presidential candidate for the party in the 2023 elections.
As part of moves to press down its process, the NWC of the PDP met in Abuja on Wednesday at 11 AM, where the advisory board resumed intense deliberations.
PDP selection committee endorsed the Rivers State governor after 13 of 17 members, who attended the meeting at the PDP National Secretariat, yesterday, voted in favor of Wike. At the meeting, three members voted for others, while the chairman, who can only vote when there is a tie, did not vote.
After the keenly-contested PDP primary, Wike had scored 237 against the 371 delegate votes at the PDP presidential primary secured by Atiku, who won the party ticket.
