By Uche Amunike
The Board of Trustees, BoT, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has assured, yesterday, that it will join in the hunt for choosing the Atiku Abubakar running mate from the southern part of the country, in order to provide a candidate that is suitable for its Presidential candidate.
Speaking through a statement released to newsmen, the PDP BoT Chairman, Senator Dr Walid Jibrin described the choice of Atiku as the PDP Presidential Flag bearer for the 2023 election as a good sign for every Nigerian.
He stated that Atiku’s success at the just concluded PDP Primary election has charted a good cause for all Nigerians in 2023.
Hear him: ‘We must remember that Atiku was in 2019 elected at the PDP presidential primary in Port-Harcout, but was nakedly sabotaged by APC through an unholy way.’
‘We must also remember the good performance of Atiku as Vice-President to Olusegun Obasanjo. He’s not a tribalist, he’s the best man for Nigeria President.’
‘We congratulated our party for playing a good role and of course all our delegates across the 36 states and the FCT.’
He went ahead to congratulate former Senate President, Senator David Mark and members of his committee for putting together a national convention that can be described as one of the best, after the Port Harcourt convention chaired by Governor Okowa of Delta state in 2019.
His words: ‘My advice as the PDP BoT Chairman, is that we must come together as one entity and speak with one voice to make our party greater, not only in Nigeria but Africa.
‘Finally, the BoT will assist the party and our Presidential candidate to come out with an acceptable Vice President from the southern part of Nigeria,’ the statement added.
Reliable sources have however stated that former Imo State Governor, Emeka Ihedioha has been pointed to be Atiku’s running mate in the 2023 election.
The Media spokesperson to the former Governor, AIC Okwarandu revealed to Newsmen that his principal’s name is in the list of those being considered by the PDP Presidential flag bearer, Atiku Abubakar.
His words: ‘Ihedioha is not Vice President. Atiku is yet to choose. However, his name is among those being tipped for it which he has been indifferent about.’
Even at that, a source in the Party told newsmen that the former Governor has been favoured among others to be pencilled down as Atiku Abubakar’s running mate.
Hear him: ‘Ihedioha has a very good relationship with Atiku and Tambuwal but he mobilized for Tambuwal during the primary and we all saw what happened when Atiku needed help, Tambuwal came to his rescue. As a party, we are looking at zoning the Vice Presidency slot to the southeast given the support of the region in time past to our party. And when I look at the track records of Ihedioha, he is the best fit for the role.’
On his part however, former Governor Ihedioha, when contacted about the news that he was being considered as Atiku Abubakar running mate, stated that he wasn’t aware of it.
He affirmed: ‘Honestly, I am not aware of any action in that direction’.
