Atiku’s Running Mate: PDP Committee screens Wike today
By Tunde Opalana
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will today screen the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike as Vice Presidential candidate of the party ahead of the 2023 general election.
Towards this, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party Tuesday night constituted a 12 member Vice Presidential Candidate Screening Committee (VPSC).
According to the National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, the screening exercise will hold at the National Working Committee (NWC) Hall, PDP National Secretariat, Wadata Plaza, Abuja on Thursday, today.
He said “pursuant to Part VI, Paragraph 14 of the the Electoral Guidelines of our great Party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the National Working Committee (NWC) has approved the nomination of the following Party members to serve on the Vice Presidential Candidate Screening Committee for the screening/verifying of the nominated Vice Presidential Candidate of our Party for the 2023 general elections.”
Members of the Committee are; High Chief Tom Ikimi – Chairman, Capt. Idris . Wada (rtd), Chief Osita Chidoka, Rt. Hon. Binta Bello, Chief Mrs. Alh. Mutiat Adedoja , and Rt. Hon. Austin Opara .
Others are; Prof. Aisha Madawaki , Mrs. Ayotunde George-Ologun, Chief Mrs. Chidiebelu Mofus, Fidelis Tapgun, Dr. Akilu Indabawa- Secretary and Mr. Sunday Omobo, Administrative Secretary.
Today’s screening followed outcome of Tuesday’s meeting of some party chieftains purportedly assembled by the Presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to help him in the process of selecting his running mate.
It was gathered that the party had earlier through a committee narrowed down possible vice presidential aspirants to three; Delta governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, Rivers governor, Nyesom Wike and Akwa Ibom governor, Emmanuel Udom.
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Then on Tuesday, a committee of Atiku loyalists met at the party’s secretariat to look at the three shortlisted aspirants.
The 11 members cut across various organs of the party such as the National Working Committee, Governors Forum, National Assembly Caucus,, Former Governors Forum.are well represented in the committee:
The National Advisory Committee is headed by the Deputy National Chairman (North), Ambassador Umar Ilya Damagum
Members who attended the meeting include: House Minority Leader, Hon. Tony Elumelu, Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal, Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed, former governor of Niger State, Babagida Aliyu, former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, former Cross Rivers State governor, Liyel Imoke and
Others include former governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko, PDP National Secretary, Sam Anyanwu, National Organising Secretary, Hon. Umar Bature, and former Senate President David Mark.
The advisory committee was inaugurated by the national chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu who saddled them with the responsibility of assisting Atiku in making a right choice of his running mate who will be acceptable to all organs of the party.
“The candidate wrote to us as the administrative arm of the party on the choice of his running mate.
“Our presidential candidate this time has decided to carry everybody along unlike 2019 when he didn’t consult widely in his choice of running mate.
“I wish you a successful deliberation and I hope you come up with a conclusion between tomorrow and Friday,” Ayu said inaugurating the committee Tuesday at the PDP Wadata House national secretariat.
After the meeting which lasted over three hours, Wike got majority votes of the members.
A source confided that 16 of the 19 members committee were in favour of Wike’s candidature, ahead of the two others.
