2023 POLITICS: Atiku warned against ditching Okowa as running mate

Peoples' Democratic Party presidential candidate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has been warned of plans to ditch Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as his running mate.

There is speculation that Atiku is being pressured by the governors to ditch Okowa and replace him with his Rivers State counterpart, Nyesom Wike.

Wike's loyalists are presumed to be making the same demand as the only way to make room for peace in the party.

The statement, signed by OYC national president Mazi Okwu Nnabuike and secretary Comrade Obinna Achionye, said any attempt to replace Okowa would backfire.

The Igbo leadership said the Southeast would not accept losing outright in the scheme of things, having missed the opportunity to field either the PDP or the All Progressive Congress (APC) presidential nominee.

“There is no need to reiterate that we expected both the PDP and APC to hand out their presidential cards to the Southeast, but that has not happened.

“Although this has been overtaken by events, the only consolation we have is the election of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as running mate for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, considering Okowa is a true Igbo son.

“Having said this, how could anyone wake up and think of replacing Okowa with Wike? As much as we know that Atiku reserves the right to choose whoever he wills as his running mate, we also have the right to vote according to our desire.

"And that desire is clear- that the PDP would not get one vote from Igbo land should they field Wike, because this is a man who disowned Ndigbo. He said he is not one of us and this is payback time, we also do not know him. Should the PDP make the mistake of pairing him with Atiku, the PDP will be roundly rejected during the presidential election,” the Ohanaeze youths warned.

The OYC added that “with the new electoral law, those who have proclaimed themselves emperors will be embarrassed during elections. The time for fake results is over, so nobody should be fooled.”

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