Atiku announces Okowa as running mate

Atiku Abubakar, PDP’s presidential candidate and Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 elections has finally picked Ifeanyi Okowa, Delta State governor, as his running mate.

Atiku, who announced his choice Thursday afternoon at the PDP’s Headquarters in Abuja, said he is happy to pick Okowa after much consultation.

He said he believes that Okowa possesses the qualities he was searching for as a running mate, including not only the ability to take over from him as the Nigerian president after his regime – albeit if the PDP, which lost the presidency to the All Progressive Congress in 2015, wins next year.

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Atiku also said he is equally hopeful that Okowa would help him and the party clinche back power next year.

By picking Okowa, Atiku dropped the likes of the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike; who was earlier strongly recommended by the party’s selection committee, as well as Akwa Ibom Governor, Emmanuel Udom who was also touted.

Okowa has both the legislative and executive experience.

Details later…

Onyinye Nwachukwu

Onyinye Nwachukwu is the Abuja Bureau Chief of BusinessDay, overseeing coverage across Abuja and Northern Nigeria. With more than two decades of experience in economic and financial journalism, she reports on business, policy, and market trends, linking local developments to the global economy. A fellow of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and recipient of the P. Vishwanathan Memorial Award for Excellence in Financial Journalism, she is known for her insightful storytelling and interviews with senior policymakers, diplomats, and business leaders. Well traveled and globally minded, Onyinye brings depth and international perspective to her reporting.