2023: Group warns PDP against dropping Okowa as Running Mate as pressure mounts on Atiku
2023: Group warns PDP against dropping Okowa as Running Mate as pressure mounts on Atiku
The youths wing of the igbo group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide (OYC), have warned Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar against dropping Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as his running mate.
There are rumors that Atiku is under pressure from governors to replace Okowa with his Rivers State counterpart, Nyesom Wike.
Wike’s supporters are also said to be making the same demand as the only way to bring peace to the party.
The youths, however, said in an Enugu statement on Tuesday that Atiku should abandon Okowa at his peril.
According to a statement signed by OYC’s National President, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, and Secretary, Comrade Obinna Achionye, any attempt to replace Okowa would be futile.
Nnabuike stated that the Igbos would not accept losing out completely in the scheme of things, having lost the opportunity to produce the presidential candidate of either the PDP or the All Progressives Congress(APC).
“There is no need to repeat that we expected both the PDP and the APC to zone their presidential tickets to the Southeast, but that did not happen.
“Though this has been overtaken by events, the only consolation we have is the choice of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as running mate to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, considering that 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. 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: “With the new Electoral Act, those who constituted themselves into emperors are going to be disgraced during the polls. The time for bogus fake results is over, so nobody should be deceived.”
