REVEALED: “I Didn’t Reject Wike But…”

Mohammed Oluwatimileyin Taoheed reports,

The Presidential standard bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has revealed that he did not pick Nyesom Wike, the present Governor of Rivers, as his running mate because he wanted someone he could work with “amicably”.

Recall our earlier report that the PDP presidential flag-bearer had decided to go on with Ifeanyi Okowa, the current Governor of Delta State, as his running mate comes 2023 general election, despite the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) endorsing Wike for the position.

Since then, the choice had led to scuffle inside the party with a group of aggrieved leaders insisting that Wike should be picked.

When asked on his selection of vice-presidential candidate, Atiku responded that he opted for Okowa in lieu of Wike because he needed one who 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,”

“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.”