TheCable

The national working committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has endorsed Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers state, as the vice-presidential candidate of the party for the 2023 elections.

TheCable understands that the NWC members voted 13-3 to endorse the report of the panel which had earlier nominated Wike for the VP ticket.

Ifeanyi Okowa, governor of Delta, got three votes.

The NWC members subsequently communicated their decision to Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the party.

Wike was on Tuesday nominated by majority of the committee members set up to pick a running mate for Atiku.

Udom Emmanuel, Akwa Ibom governor, and Okowa were also considered by the panel, which voted 16-3 in favour of Wike, with Okowa getting three votes.

The panel — chaired by Umar Damagum, PDP deputy national chairman (north) — comprises former and serving governors, NWC members, and members of the board of trustees (BoT).

Members include David Mark, former senate president; Aminu Tambuwal, governor of Sokoto; Ndudi Elumelu, minority leader of the house of representatives; Samuel Ortom, governor of Benue, and Sule Lamido, former governor of Jigawa.

Iyorchia Ayu, national chairman of the PDP, had said the party will announce Atiku’s running mate within 48 hours.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed June 17 as the deadline for political parties to submit their list of candidates — for president, vice-president, senate and house of representatives — ahead of the 2023 general election.