Atiku: Despite PDP Leadership Backing Wike, Okowa And Udom To Face Party Screening Committee
Atiku: Despite PDP Leadership Backing Wike, Okowa And Udom To Face Party Screening Committee
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) screening committee will today screen Governor Nyesom Wike, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and Governor Udom Emmanuel of Rivers, Delta and Akwa Ibom States respectively for its vice-presidential ticket.
It was gathered that all three nominees will be screened by the panel despite Wike getting the backing of a committee set up earlier to help in picking the party’s running mate and the national working committee of the party.
The PDP NWC had on Wednesday during their meeting back Wike to be the running mate of its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
According to TheCable, NWC members voted 13-3 to endorse a report of the panel which had earlier nominated Wike for the VP ticket.
Sources revealed that members of the PDP NWC communicated their decision to Atiku.
Ezenwoko’s Blog reports that an advisory panel set up by the PDP to help select Atiku’s running mate had also earlier voted in favour of Wike over Governor Okowa and Governor Emmanuel.
But the PDP spokesman, Debo Ologunagba, told The PUNCH that the nomination of Wike remained a rumour.
He stated, “The party is going through its processes. When it comes in a name, it will be announced. We don’t rely on rumour, we don’t work on that, in the next couple of hours or probably just before the expiration of the time, we will come out with a position and the name will be announced.”
A member of the PDP advisory committee disclosed that three names were recommended by the panel.
The source said, “The matter is not in the hands of Atiku yet, When the committee members are done with their job, they will report back to the leadership of the party.
“That committee recommended three people, not just one as is currently being speculated in the media.”