Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has revealed why he did not pick Nyesom Wike as his running mate in the 2023 presidential election. Atiku explained that a PDP committee ranked Ifeanyi Okowa as the top choice, with Wike as second. He insists he has no regrets about his decision.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has addressed why he did not select Nyesom Wike as his running mate in the 2023 presidential election, clarifying that his decision was based on recommendations from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Speaking in an interview set to air on Untold Stories with Adesuwa Giwa-Osagie, Atiku revealed that his choice of Delta State’s former governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, was guided by a party committee's recommendations. The committee, formed to suggest potential running mates, ranked Okowa as the top choice, with Wike and Udom Emmanuel placed second and third, respectively.
Atiku explained that in the 2019 election, he was criticized for selecting Peter Obi as his running mate without extensive consultation within the party. To avoid similar issues in 2023, he deferred the decision to the PDP leadership.
“I let the party decide. They recommended three names, and Okowa was their first choice. So I picked number one,” Atiku stated.
His decision to bypass Wike fueled tensions within the PDP, with many attributing their ongoing political rift to this moment. However, Atiku insisted he had no regrets, maintaining that he simply followed the party's directive.
Wike, who now serves as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has since distanced himself from Atiku’s faction within the PDP. The fallout between the two has been a defining aspect of internal party politics leading up to and following the 2023 elections.
