Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, will run on a joint ticket with the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar in the 2023 Presidential election.
Africa Update gathered from reliable sources that the National Advisory Committee that the party set up to look into the report of an earlier committee has recommended the Rivers governor.
The sources further said the committee saddled with the task of picking the party’s Vice Presidential Candidate has agreed to allow Wike, who came second in the primaries, to run with Atiku.
The committee was said to have voted on the three names recommended by the General Aliyu Gusau committee with the Rivers Governor pulling sixteen votes.
The three names the source said were Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta) and Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom).
Those at the meeting which was chaired by the Deputy National Chairman, North, Ambassador Umaru Damagun, were Governors Samuel Ortom (Benue), Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), former governors Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Sule Lamido (Jigawa), Liyel Imoke (Cross Rivers) Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo) and the minority leader of the House of Representatives, Ndudi Elumelu, among others.
Addressing members of the committee just before going into a close door session, National Chairman of the Party, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, had urged the meeting to come up with a conclusion before Friday.
The chairman said unlike 2019 when Atiku didn’t consult widely in his choice of running mate, he (Atiku) has written to the administrative arm of the party on the choice of his running mate in a bid to consult widely and create synergy.
He said the various organs of the party are well represented in the committee, comprising NWC, Governors Forum National Assembly, Former Governors, which all put forward their candidate.
