Running Mate: Atiku Mocks Tinubu, Obi, Others Over Place Holders

Running Mate: Atiku Mocks Tinubu, Obi, Others Over Place Holders

The 2023 Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has mocked other frontline contestants over their inability to choose their running mates before the expiration of the deadline given by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Ezenwoko’s Blog recalls that Atiku had chosen Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State as his running mate while other presidential candidates submitted placeholders as running mates.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential flagbearer, Bola Tinubu, submitted the name of Kabiru Masari as a placeholder pending when a substantive Vice Presidential candidate will be unveiled.

Also, the Labour Party presidential flagbearer, Peter Obi, chose former presidential aide, Doyin Okupe as a placeholder pending the unveiling of his real running mate.

In a statement he personally signed on Sunday, Atiku said that his choice of Okowa as his running mate shows that he is prepared to govern the country.

He stated that the first and most important decision that any candidate for an executive position in a democracy must make is the choice of a running mate.

Atiku added that the presidential candidate’s choice of a running mate provides a window to assess his or her preparedness for the job that potentially waits ahead of them.

He said: “The office of the president, in particular, requires that the holder of that office must have clarity of the mind on decision-making.

“That is why in countries that have acquired more experiences in democratic acculturation, the choice that a presidential candidate makes about their running mates, and how they make the decision, provides a window of assessing their preparedness for the job that potentially waits ahead of them.

“In meeting up with this expectation, and more importantly to ensure that I make a pick of a running mate that you shall be proud of, it became necessary for me to be introspective about my choice.”

Atiku further stated that he and Okowa are incurable optimists about the future of Nigeria and the promises it holds as one united, peaceful and prosperous country.

He said, “Governor of Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa and I share a lot of personality attributes in common. He is a fine gentleman, but tenacious. His experience as a Senator will come in handy in some of the legislative reforms that are urgently needed to reformat our governmental processes.

“Ifeanyi and I are incurable optimists in the future of Nigeria and the promises it holds as one united, peaceful and prosperous country.

“Having him on the ticket brings a lot of assets to our campaign. In the months ahead of the general election, together with other great leaders of our party, the Peoples Democratic Party, with your esteemed support, we shall work very hard to ensure a convincing victory for our party.

“A victory for the PDP in the general election is a victory for Nigeria. When we win, Nigeria wins. The stakes in the election are very high, and it gives me tremendous joy that I can count on your support to win the election and get to work in earnest.”

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