Iyiocha Ayu, the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is optimistic that the party and its standard flag bearer, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, would, within the next two days, announce a running mate ahead of the 2023 presidential election.
Ayu gave this assurance in his opening remarks at the meeting with members of the consultative committee set up to assist Atiku to choose a running mate.
READ ALSO: 2023 elections: Atiku Abubakar emerges PDP presidential candidate
According to the THE PUNCH, Ayu was in a closed-door meeting with some stakeholders of the party at the party’s national secretariat.
He explained that the meeting was in furtherance of consultations aimed at arriving at a choice that Nigerians would be glad to elect into office.
“The presidential candidate of our party would have been here, but this morning he suddenly dashed somewhere,” he said.
He apologised on the party flagbearer’s behalf, saying if he comes early, he will join us. But we will go ahead with the assignment he has given us.
“The candidate wrote to us, as the administrative arm of the party, on the choice of his running mate.
“Various organs of the party are well-represented in his committee — the National Working Committee, the Governors Forum, the National Assembly, and former governors who have put forward their candidates.
“This deliberation will be chaired by my able deputy, Ambassador Umaru Damagum.
“I wish you a successful deliberation and I hope you come up with a conclusion between tomorrow and Friday.
“Our presidential candidate, this time, has decided to carry everybody along unlike 2019 when he didn’t consult widely in his choice of running mate.”
The meeting has the Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Aminu Tambuwal; Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed; Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom; former Senate President, David Mark; former Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko; former Cross River State Governor, Liyel Imoke, and Senator Philip Aduda among others, in attendance.
Neptune Prime reports that Independent National Electoral Commission, gave political parties till Friday, June 17, 2022, to submit the names of their presidential candidates and their running mates.
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