South east kick against PDP NWC choice of Wike as Atiku’s running mate

By our reporter| The South east zone of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party {PDP} has kicked against the decision of the party’s National Advisory Committee, and the National Working Committee (NWC) to recommend Rivers state Governor Nyesom Wike as the running mate of vice-president Atiku Abubakar in the 2023 presidential elections.

According to various reports, the NWC members after studying the report of the committee unanimously endorsed Wike.

The NWC members, according to sources familiar with their deliberations, had also communicated their decision to Atiku and are now waiting for his final approval for the party to make the announcement.

The three Governors initially recommended by the National Advisory Committee were Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, Delta state Ifeanyi Okowa and Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom state.

The committee was chaired by Umar Damagum, PDP Deputy National Chairman, North, and had in attendance party leaders like David Mark, former senate president, Aminu Tambuwal, governor of Sokoto, Samuel Ortom, governor of Benue, and former Governors Sule Lamido of Jigawa and Babangida Aliyu of Niger.

However, reacting to the development, some stakeholders of the party mainly from the South East are said to be against the choice of Wike.

The zone felt having contributed immensely to the development of the party since 1999, they deserve a better deal from the party in 2023.

The zone believe that after the South-South benefited from the Goodluck Jonathan administration, it was the turn of the South East to get the vice president slot.

“Giving the vice president position to South East will usher in peace and harmony in the PDP going into the 2023 elections instead of the south south that is already a battlefield among the aspirants,” a source told a national publication.