By Solomon Okoliko, Abuja

Former Vice-President Abubakar Atiku and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate yesterday chose Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta as his running mate for the 2023 poll.
Atiku said this at an unveiling of his running mate at the PDP national secretariat in Abuja on Thursday.

“Accordingly, let me state that the person I have chosen as my running mate possesses all those identified qualities. He personifies not only the seriousness the current moment represents for our country but also the future that our young people yearn for and deserve.
“He is a serving state governor who has demonstrated, in his state and through his conduct, that governance is about service to the people,” he said.

Speaking further, he said, “part of what the party leadership considered was that “the person must have a presidential quality to step into my shoes when I’m not around, understand the critical place of education in our modern society.

“My running mate must understand that development will be impossible without security, thus, he must stand with me as I confront the dangerous trend of insecurity.
“He must also not symbolise a unifier but must also work with me in uniting the country and must not be afraid to speak his mind. He must be ready to start working with me from day one as I will not accept anything less.

“I have sought the support of the PDP in choosing the running mate that meets the above qualities or all of them
“The chosen candidate is the current Governor of Delta state, Ifeanyi Okowa.
“Please join me in welcoming to the ticket the next Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Gov. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa.”

The unveiling of Governor Okowa as Atiku’s running mate came ahead of today’s 6.30 pm deadline by the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), for the submission of the names of running mates to all presidential candidates by political parties.
Atiku further disclosed that he was encouraged by the unbeatable character of Okowa who has the needed determination and can work hard with him to tackle issues of develop and the economy in the country.

While unveiling his running mate, Atiku explained that he made wide consultation with the party’s leaders and stakeholders including the governors, senators and House of Representatives members of the party.

Okowa Fully Qualified as PDP Presidential Running Mate – Party Screening Committee

The PDP Vice Presidential Candidate Screening Committee, in its reaction to the choice of Okowa, said it found the Delta State governor fully qualified to be the running mate to the party’s 2023 Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

The Chairman of the Committee, Chief Tom Ikimi, said this while briefing newsmen on Thursday in Abuja after Okowa’s presentation by the party.

Ikimi said that the job of the committee was to screen the nominees for running mate to ensure that the party did not run into any problem.
“Okowa has served in many capacities in the public service of Delta State as well as local governments council of that state.

“He also served as an honourable commissioner at one time in that state and in fact, he served as the senator representing one of the senatorial districts of the state.
“The business of this committee was to ensure that he has the right qualifications because we are not interested in going to court after the election as people will be challenging those who are qualified or those not qualified.

“The committee found out that he is fully qualified. He is healthy, cool headed and willing to embrace all others who got tested over this position with him so that we have peace and stability in the party,” Ikimi said.

Members of the committee as constituted by the party included Akilu Indabawa, who served as Secretary, and Mr Sunday Omobo as Administrative Secretary.
Other members of the committee were Capt. Idris Wada, Chief Osita Chidoka, Binta Bello, Chief Mutiat Adedoja, Austin Opara, Prof. Aisha Madawaki, Mrs Ayotunde George-Ologun, Chief Chidiebelu Mofus and Fidelis Tapgun. 

Meanwhile confusion and secrecy enveloped the choice of running mate for the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC. As of the time of going to press, the party remained conflicted whether to go for all Muslim ticket or balance the choice of Ahmed Bola Tinubu, a  Muslim from South-west with a northern Christian. To beat tomorrow’s deadline for submission of name  of Tinubu’s running mate, indications emerged late evening yesterday that the ruling party may submit a decoy candidate who would later resign when the party finally resolves Tinubu’s running mate conundrum. 

I Give Thanks to God for This Day-Okowa,  Accepts VP Nomination

Delta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, has said that Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Candidate for the 2023 General Elections, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has solutions to the numerous challenges bedeviling the country.
Okowa said this in his acceptance speech after his nomination as Vice-Presidential Candidate of the PDP at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja.
He said that the solutions to Nigeria’s problems as a nation lay in Atiku’s book “My Covenant With Nigeria” and urged party members and all Nigerians to join hands with the PDP to rescue the nation from maladministration.
According to him, we must create in ourselves a new approach to political issues, a new commitment which I believe we all yearn for.

The vice-presidential candidate said “it will require a lot of commitment and unity from each and everyone of us in our various wards, local governments and states.
“We need the PDP to return to power; we have answers to the questions because I have the opportunity of going through our candidate’s book ‘My Covenant with Nigeria’. It’s something worth studying and something put together that other presidential candidates of other parties have not been able to put together.

“When you go through it, you will find solutions to our problems in that document and I must appreciate our presidential candidate publicly for making this happen early enough.
“Many people are out there speaking to Nigerians, based on social media reports but he has taken time to understudy Nigeria because of the experience that he has had in the past and has been able to proffer solutions and I believe that by the grace of God, we will definitely take on the elections and win landslide.”

He appreciated the party and his colleagues for finding him worthy to be on the ticket, and said “I give thanks to God for this day and I must appreciate the party for having a very successful convention and I thank the National Chairman and his team and the Chairman of the Convention Committee for giving us a convention that everybody could definitely say was free and fair and we came out more united.
“I want to thank you our National Chairman and members of the NWC for steering the party through this period and we have produced a very experienced candidate who can take back Nigeria in our rescue mission and ensure that we are able to begin the rebuilding process of this nation from May 29, 2023.

“Mr President-in-waiting, I must truly thank you for finding me worthy to be on this ticket. I know that it was a very tough decision even as you have spoken this afternoon, but I thank God that among my very qualified colleagues even those more qualified than myself, that I found favour and I am here today as the Vice-Presidential candidate of the party.”
He called for the support of all party stakeholders and Nigerians to rebuild the nation.
“While thanking you sir, I do understand that there is a great work ahead of us and requires that all of us must come together.

“The rebuilding process is going to be collective and we are trusting that all our party members would want to be part of that story at the end of the day.
“The story which will be positive at the end of the day will require that all of us must support our principal as we move forward in the next few months and that we will at the end win the elections with a landslide victory.

“I am privileged to be on this ticket and by the special grace of God, with the National Chairman leading us, it will be well with our party.
“Again I thank Mr President-in-waiting, our great party and my dear colleagues for finding me worthy to be on the ticket and it is on this note that I wholeheartedly accept my nomination and pledge to remain loyal and faithful to our dear country.”