Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has explained his decision not to select Nyesom Wike as his running mate in the 2023 presidential election, clarifying that the former Rivers State governor was simply the second choice on the list of nominees presented to him.
Atiku, in a report by DAILY TRUST, revealed that he allowed the party to determine potential candidates for the vice-presidential slot.
A selection committee was formed, which then recommended three names for consideration.
The committee ranked then-Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as the first choice, Wike as the second, and then-Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel as the third.
Based on this recommendation, Atiku chose Okowa as his running mate.
His decision sparked controversy within the PDP, as Wike had played a significant role in the party’s affairs leading up to the election.
Many party members and political analysts believed that choosing Wike could have strengthened the PDP’s chances, especially given his influence in the South-South region.
However, Atiku maintained that he followed the party’s selection process and simply went with the highest-ranked nominee.
The fallout from this decision contributed to internal divisions within the PDP. Wike, along with a group of governors known as the G5, distanced themselves from Atiku’s campaign, ultimately working against him in the election.
The group’s actions were seen as a major factor in Atiku’s defeat, as Wike later openly admitted to supporting President Bola Tinubu’s victory.
Atiku has since reiterated that he has no regrets about his choice, emphasizing that he allowed the party to decide on the nomination process. He also dismissed claims that his decision was personal, stating that it was based solely on the recommendations presented to him.
In his words; “In 2023, I threw the whole thing to the party. I said, ‘Okay, set up a committee and recommend three people for me to pick as running mate. The committee submitted three names: then-Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as the first choice, Wike as the second, and then-Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel as the third. So I picked number one because he (Wike) was the second choice on the list.”