…Why I picked Okowa –Atiku
…Fresh crisis looms in party
By Ezeocha Nzeh and Myke Uzendu
Igbo apex socio-political organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has declared that the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, will pay dearly for abandoning the South east geo political zone in its political calculations ahead of the 2023 general elections
The PDP, which has the zone as one of its strongholds, was said to haave jettisoned the zoning agreement in the party, and abandoned the call for the pary to zone its presidential ticket to the South
Atiku on Thursday at the PDP headquarters in Abuja, announced the Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa as his running mate.
While the party failed to look towards the South east in picking its presidential candidate, some stakeholders who believed that the zone had sacrificed enough for the growth of PDP, were confident that the party will at least, pick its vice presidential candidate from the zone deserve at least a VP slot from the party, are currently expressing anger over the development.
Reacting to Atiku’s choice, Ohanaeze, in a statement issued by its Secretary-General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, said although the region is yet to decide on which party to support for the 2023 presidential election, it would not be PDP.
Ohanaeze threatened to punish the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP for ignoring the Southeast in picking the running mate of its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
“We will teach PDP the language they need to understand in the 2023 polls
“No Igbo political decisions have been made so far on the 2023 election, but at the appropriate time, Ndigbo will decide the political direction to go but not the PDP, for shunning the southeast, Atiku will face the consequences of his actions”. Ohanaeze stated
Meanwhile, former Vice President and presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar has explained that it was tough for him in making a choice between the three names ( Governors Nyesom Wike of Rivers state, Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state and Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom state).
There are however strong indications that the choice of Delta State governor Ifeanyi Okowa as running mate to the party’s Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar may trigger fresh crises in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
A source very close to the party has confirmed that Wike had lobbied and pressured the Vice Presidential candidate selection committee and National Working Committee (NWC) members to ensure he emerges as the choice Vice Presidential candidate.
Atiku on Thursday announced Okowa as his Vice Presidential running mate at the PDP headquarters Abuja in an event attended by some Governors, members of the Board of Trustees (BoT) and representatives of different party caucuses.
It was observed that Gov. Wike was not present at the event just as Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi who is a key supporter of Wike stormed out of the party secretariat before the event commenced.
However governors who are not political allies of the Rivers State governor including Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi, Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom, Godwin Obaseki of Edo and Diri Duoye of Bayelsa graced the occasion.
Explaining while he settled for Okowa, Atiku, who described the Delta State Governor as a fighter who has mastered the art of politics and has been steadily rising to prominence in his state, Delta and PDP said: “I held wide consultations with various stakeholders in our party including our Governor National Working Committee, Board of Trustees, and other leaders to seek their inputs and their wisdom.
“In these consultations, I made clear that my running mate would have the potential to succeed me at a moment’s notice, that is, a President-in-waiting.
“In other words, the person must have the qualities to be President. The person must have an appreciation of the deep rot which our country has been put into by the rudderless APC government; understands the great suffering that most of our people are going through and the urgency of relieving them of that suffering; understands the critical importance of economic growth and development to provide our young people with jobs, hope, and a pathway to wealth.
“The person must appreciate the critical importance of education in the development of modern societies so we can prepare our young people to be able to compete in the increasingly competitive and globalized world.
“My running mate must understand that without security, development will be very difficult because local and foreign investors who have been scared away already, would not return to invest in our economy. Thus, my running mate will be a person who will stand by me as a I confront the frightening level of insecurity in our land.
“As you know, the APC government went to sleep as huge swathes of our country’s territory fell into the deadly hands of gangs of criminals, including those masquerading as freedom fighters or pastoralists, while our farmers and genuine pastoralists are unable to go about their businesses. The costs in precious human lives and properties have been enormous.
“My running mate must also not only symbolize the imperative of reuniting our country but also be able to work with me to achieve that objective. This is because a united Nigeria is a potentially stronger, more prosperous, and more secure country able to lead Africa and give hope to the Black race.
“In addition, my running mate has to be someone who is not afraid to speak his mind and give honest advice, and, be by my side as I work very hard to reverse the destructive impact of the past seven years of the APC government.
“But today in Nigeria, we face huge challenges which leave us little room for drama. We have to win the elections and get to work immediately. My running mate has to be ready to start working with me, from day one, in addressing our country’s challenges. Nigerians will not accept anything less. That is why I promised the Governors of our party that my running mate will come from among them. Our current challenges call for a government that is highly focused and disciplined.
“I have sought for the support, guidance, and counsel of the PDP in selecting a befitting running mate who meets all or most of the qualities enumerated above. The wisemen and sages of the party, put together by our NWC, have gone fishing and brought home an enviable group of awesome politicians that surpasses these qualities.
“Every one of the recommended persons is a fit and proper individual to hold this office. While this makes me marvel at the bundle of talents that abounds in our party, it also compounded my task of choosing a single person from among them.
Atiku continued: “Let me state that the person I have chosen as my running mate possesses all those identified qualities. He personifies not only the seriousness the current moment represents for our country but also the future that our young people yearn for and deserve. He is a serving state governor who has demonstrated, in his state and through his conduct, that governance is about service to the people.
“I know that he will not only add excitement to our already energized ticket and campaign, but will also help to bring focus, discipline and stability to our government, come 2023. I am pleased, therefore, to announce here my choice of running mate who will help to lead us to victory next year not only in the presidential election but also in the governorship and legislative elections.
“And he will be by my side as I work hard every day to provide our people with security, revive our economy, improve education and unite our country. He has both Legislative and Executive experiences. Please join me in welcoming to the ticket the next Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Governor Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa.
“You know him to be a fighter; you know him to care about winning; you know him to care about good governance; and you know him to care about our people.
“Now, my dear friends, let’s do the disciplined hard work necessary to win this election,” the PDP presidential candidate said.
We’ll rescue Nigeria, Okowa says after nomination
Speaking after his nomination, PDP vice presidential candidate, Ifeanyi Okowa, pledged to work with the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to rescue Nigeria.
He said, ‘we must create in ourselves, a new approach to political issues, a new commitment, which I believe we all yearn for. It will require a lot of commitment from each and every one of us. It will require the unity of each and every one of us in our various wards, in our various local governments and states. We need the PDP to return to power”.
Also commenting on how Wike will feel after he was sidelined as the preferred Vice Presidential candidate, he continued
“I know that Governor Wike is a very strong party man he has great love for our party and I believe that Governor Wike is also a good democrat, he understands that when several brothers are in the race for a particular position it has to be one person at a point in time.
“But I want to assure you that Governor Wike is a very good man and his interest for this country and the party is to be able to rise up to the challenge at the moment. He is strong and I do not feel that he is going to be disappointed” Okowa stated.
