Search For Atiku’s Running Mate Widens In South East

A few days after former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, emerged as presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the search for his running mate has widened in the South East.

Atiku and the leadership of the PDP are considering either the South East or South South as a place to pick the running mate, in the North-South presidency composition.

Already, the names of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom; Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta and former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim, have been mentioned as those being considered for the position.

Wike came second in the presidential primary of the PDP with 237 votes, while Emmanuel came fourth, polling 38 votes. Anyim came fifth with 14 votes. Wike had said that those around Atiku had no election value, in what some people see implying that a running mate should be someone who would win votes, as he did in the presidential primary.

Sources revealed that apart from Wike, Emmanuel, Okowa and Anyim, the search for the running mate has widened in the South East, with fresh names being mentioned.

Among those whose names have also come up are former Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu; ex-Enugu State governor and senator representing Enugu East, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani and former Imo State Governor, Emeka Ihedioha.

It was gathered that the name of former Senator Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, had earlier been mentioned before the primary, but his decision to defect to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to contest senatorial election has excluded him from the race for Atiku’s running mate.

Sources said the consideration for Ekweremadu was based on his popularity in the South, having attained the position of Deputy Senate President and serving in the Senate five times, after being Secretary to State Government in Enugu and Chief of Staff to governor.

The sentiment for Ekweremadu’s choice, it was gathered, is coming from supporters of former Senate President, Bukola Saraki. Saraki worked with Ekweremadu in the 8th Senate, against stiff opposition by senators elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as him.

The Saraki elements, it was gathered, believe that Ekweremadu is trustworthy and stands for whatever cause he believes in.

The snag about Elweremadu, however, is the feelings that he may defect to the APC to pursue his governorship ambition. The former Deputy Senate president, who lost out in the Enugu PDP, is believed to be holding talks with APC leadership on the possibility of him getting the governorship ticket in state if he joins the party.

It was gathered that those who mentioned the name of Nnamani reckoned that the senator is popular in South East, as a two-time governor and serving senator. The popularity and potency of Nnamani’s Ebeano group, which has produced the majority of the elected leaders in Enugu State till date, including the current governorship candidate of the PDP in the state, Mr. Peter Mbah, was counted as what stands Nnamani out.

Ihedioha, it was gathered, is being mentioned by those working with Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal. With Tambuwal stepping down for Atiku during the presidential primary, it was gathered that his supporters want him to nominate a running mate to Atiku. Ihedioha, who was Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives when Tambuwal was Speaker, is their choice, even as the former governor supporter Tambuwal in his quest for PDP presidential ticket.

Daily Sun gathered that Atiku is only receiving nominations and engaging in broad consultation, so that he would make a choice that would be acceptable to stakeholders in South East and South South.

Sources revealed that the PDP candidate does not want a repeat of the controversy when he picked former Anambra State governor and now presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, as running mate in 2019.

When Obi was announced as running mate to Atiku in 2019, there was initial misgiving as governors of the South East and PDP leaders in the zone said they were not taken into confidence, in accordance with agreement with Atiku before supporting him at the presidential primary, which took place in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Sun

A few days after former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, emerged as presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the search for his running mate has widened in the South East.

Atiku and the leadership of the PDP are considering either the South East or South South as a place to pick the running mate, in the North-South presidency composition.

Already, the names of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom; Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta and former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim, have been mentioned as those being considered for the position.

Wike came second in the presidential primary of the PDP with 237 votes, while Emmanuel came fourth, polling 38 votes. Anyim came fifth with 14 votes. Wike had said that those around Atiku had no election value, in what some people see implying that a running mate should be someone who would win votes, as he did in the presidential primary.

Sources revealed that apart from Wike, Emmanuel, Okowa and Anyim, the search for the running mate has widened in the South East, with fresh names being mentioned.

Among those whose names have also come up are former Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu; ex-Enugu State governor and senator representing Enugu East, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani and former Imo State Governor, Emeka Ihedioha.

It was gathered that the name of former Senator Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, had earlier been mentioned before the primary, but his decision to defect to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to contest senatorial election has excluded him from the race for Atiku’s running mate.

Sources said the consideration for Ekweremadu was based on his popularity in the South, having attained the position of Deputy Senate President and serving in the Senate five times, after being Secretary to State Government in Enugu and Chief of Staff to governor.

The sentiment for Ekweremadu’s choice, it was gathered, is coming from supporters of former Senate President, Bukola Saraki. Saraki worked with Ekweremadu in the 8th Senate, against stiff opposition by senators elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as him.

The Saraki elements, it was gathered, believe that Ekweremadu is trustworthy and stands for whatever cause he believes in.

The snag about Elweremadu, however, is the feelings that he may defect to the APC to pursue his governorship ambition. The former Deputy Senate president, who lost out in the Enugu PDP, is believed to be holding talks with APC leadership on the possibility of him getting the governorship ticket in state if he joins the party.

It was gathered that those who mentioned the name of Nnamani reckoned that the senator is popular in South East, as a two-time governor and serving senator. The popularity and potency of Nnamani’s Ebeano group, which has produced the majority of the elected leaders in Enugu State till date, including the current governorship candidate of the PDP in the state, Mr. Peter Mbah, was counted as what stands Nnamani out.

Ihedioha, it was gathered, is being mentioned by those working with Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal. With Tambuwal stepping down for Atiku during the presidential primary, it was gathered that his supporters want him to nominate a running mate to Atiku. Ihedioha, who was Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives when Tambuwal was Speaker, is their choice, even as the former governor supporter Tambuwal in his quest for PDP presidential ticket.

Daily Sun gathered that Atiku is only receiving nominations and engaging in broad consultation, so that he would make a choice that would be acceptable to stakeholders in South East and South South.

Sources revealed that the PDP candidate does not want a repeat of the controversy when he picked former Anambra State governor and now presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, as running mate in 2019.

When Obi was announced as running mate to Atiku in 2019, there was initial misgiving as governors of the South East and PDP leaders in the zone said they were not taken into confidence, in accordance with agreement with Atiku before supporting him at the presidential primary, which took place in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Sun