The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has emerged as the running mate to Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Mr Wike was the preferred choice of most members of the party’s committee set up to assist Atiku Abubakar in choosing a running mate – against Ifeanyi Okowa, the Delta State Governor according to report quoted by PREMIUM TIMES.
A source at the party’s headquarters said members of the panel, in a meeting on Tuesday, cast votes to decide a running mate, and in the end, Mr Wike polled 16 votes to defeat Mr Okowa who scored three votes.
The panel, comprising former and serving governors, members of the party’s National Working Committee, and members of the Board of Trustees, was established last week.
The party is expected to make an official announcement of the Rivers State governor as the running mate.
His “victory” comes hours after the party’s national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, said the panel will choose a running mate in 48 hours.
Although Mr Wike, a presidential aspirant, had initially said he did not want to be vice president, it is unclear whether he now wants the position.
According to reports, News Rain Nigeria learnt that members of the governor’s team were putting pressure on the committee and the party to pick him as running mate as a way of compensating him for his defeat at the presidential primary in May.
Tuesday’s meeting is in furtherance of consultations “aimed at arriving at a choice which Nigerians would be glad to elect into office,” the party chairman said earlier.
Present at the meeting were the Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Aminu Tambuwal; Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed; Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom and former Senate President, David Mark.
Others were former Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko; former Cross River State Governor, Liyel Imoke, and Senator Philip Aduda, among others.
The electoral umpire, INEC, has asked political parties to submit the names of their presidential candidates and their running mates by Friday, June 17.
