ATIKU: NO AXE TO GRIND OVER WIKE’S REJECTION— I ONLY PICKED A RUNNING MATE I COULD WORK WITH

ATIKU: NO AXE TO GRIND OVER WIKE’S REJECTION— I ONLY PICKED A RUNNING MATE I COULD WORK WITH.

Waziri Adamawa, The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says he did not pick Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers, as his running mate because he wanted someone he could work with “amicably”.

The PDP presidential candidate had settled for senator Ifeanyi Okowa, governor of Delta, as his running mate for the 2023 presidential election, despite the party’s national working committee (NWC) endorsing Wike for the role.

The choice Of Senator Ifeanyi Okowa seems to have created a dog and cat lifestyle within the party, with a group of aggrieved stakeholders insisting that Wike should be picked. Political analysts and pundits were of the views that if the current political differences in running mate selection within the People’s Democratic Party is not re-considered, it might further polarised the party beyond remedy.

Speaking on his choice of vice-presidential candidate, Atiku said he opted for Okowa instead of Wike because he wanted someone that could “deliver the policies of the party, and also try 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.”