TheCable

Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), would rather pick Ifeanyi Okowa, governor of Delta state, as his running mate, sources close to the former vice-president have informed TheCable.

The national working committee (NWC) of the PDP had on Wednesday endorsed Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers, as Atiku’s running mate.

The NWC members voted 13-3 to endorse the report of the stakeholders’ panel which had earlier nominated Wike for the VP ticket.

Okowa got only three votes.

However, Atiku is said to be ill at ease with Wike as his running mate because he believes the governor does not like him.

Wike worked for Aminu Waziri Tambuwal in the 2019 presidential primary election, though Atiku still won the ticket.

Some top guns in the PDP are also said to be uncomfortable with Wike as Atiku’s running mate “because the VP is just a heartbeat away from being the president”.

The NWC of the PDP has set up a committee to screen the vice-presidential candidate of the party for the 2023 elections.

Political parties are expected to file in names of presidential candidates and their running mates latest Friday.