2023: Atiku meets with PDP governors, intensifies search for running mate

The former Vice President and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has intensified his search for a running mate.

Consequently, Atiku on Wednesday met with the PDP governors for several hours behind a closed-door, to deliberate on the way forward.

It was gathered that two governors are on the radar for the position of Vice President.

A source close to the PDP governors said that the governors on the radar are of Rivers and Delta states, Nyesom Wike and Ifeanyi Okowa respectively.

The source further said that Wike has the capacity and the financial capability to help the party to get the presidential seat.

The source also added that Rivers is among the states that have the highest votes in the country, stressing that his Vice-Presidential position will help the party in a long way.

Addressing newsmen shortly after the meeting, the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and Sokoto state governor, Aminu Tambuwal said that the running mate for the presidential candidate is part of the consultation, adding that the governors are being consulted.

He said: “On behalf of my colleagues the governors, let me commend the leadership of the party and members of our party for a very successful national convention.

“The National Chairman along with the candidate came to thank the governors for their roles at the convention.

“We talked about cooperation and collaboration in prosecuting a very successful electioneering campaign that will result in victories for the PDP at various elections from the state house of assembly, national election, governorship and the presidential election come February 2023.

“It is more of a consultative meeting on matters concerning the way forward.”

Asked if the issue of running mate came up at the meeting, Tambuwal said, “it is part of the consultation, its ongoing and governors are also being consulted on that.”