Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is set to meet with governors elected on the platform of the party ahead of his plans to announce a running mate for the 2023 presidential elections.
It was gathered that the meeting scheduled to hold at noon Today in Abuja, is designed to put the final touches on plans to choose a running mate.
Recall that there have been rumours of the emergence of Rivers Governor, Nyesom Wike as Atiku’s running mate.
However, reacting to the development in Abuja on Wednesday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said reports in the media that the PDP has picked Wike were only elements of hearsay.
He said the National Working Committee is currently looking into the matter and consulting, in order to consider the best vice-presidential candidate for the party in the 2023 elections.
According to him, “We have a process as a party because we are organic. We follow through with the processes. We recognize the importance of participatory democracy, ensuring that every stakeholder and organ of the party is involved in our decision-making process;
“This is the beginning of the process, consideration and advisory body need to get to the level where, in consultation with the presidential candidate, they will deliberate on who is most suitable. That process is ongoing, so any report of a particular candidate at this point is probably premature.”
Meanwhile, the National Chairman of the party, Senator Iyiochia Ayu, on Tuesday, said the party and Atiku, will present a running mate to Nigerians within the next 48 hours.
This is in line with the directive of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which had given political parties till Friday to submit the names of their presidential candidates and their running mates.
