Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has cited that he did now not choose Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers, as his walking mate due to the fact he desired any one he should work with “amicably”.
The former vice-president spoke in a chat with Arise TV on Friday.
The PDP candidate had picked Ifeanyi Okowa, governor of Delta, as his strolling mate for the 2023 presidential election, notwithstanding the party’s country wide working committee (NWC) endorsing Wike for the role.
The desire had created a fissure inside the party, with a crew of aggrieved stakeholders insisting that Wike ought to be picked.
Speaking on his preference of vice-presidential candidate, Atiku said he opted for Okowa rather of Wike due to the fact he desired anyone that should “deliver the insurance policies of the party, and additionally strive to unify the country”.
“Governor Wike was not rejected. Nobody was rejected in the party. But you must understand that it’s the prerogative of the candidate to pick his running mate — a running mate he believes he can work with amicably, and then also deliver the policies of the party, and also try to unify the country,” Atiku said.
“Governor Wike is a brilliant politician. He’s courageous, tenacious. I believe he has a future in the political evolution of this country. It’s not a question of rejection. Certainly, not. I think it’s too harsh a word to say that we rejected governor Wike. Certainly not.”