The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Iyiochia Ayu has given assurance that the vice presidential candidate of the party in next year’s election would be revealed on or before Friday, to beat that day’s deadline for submission of the names to the Independent National Electoral Commission.
In his opening remarks at the meeting of the Consultative Committee set up to assist the party presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar choose a running mate, Ayu explained that the meeting was in furtherance of consultations aimed at arriving at a choice that Nigerians would be glad to elect into office.
Ayu said: “The presidential candidate of our party would have been here, but this morning he suddenly dashed somewhere.
“He apologised and 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”.
At the meeting were the Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State; 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.
