Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the pan Igbo socio-political group have rejected the choice of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as the running mate of Atiku Abubakar, the People`s Democratic Party flag bearer, describing his emergence as “serial betrayal”.
Governor Okowa is the current governor of Delta State, a South-South state, and a region that was in direct competition with the South East for the running mate of the PDP candidate.
The Delta State governor beat other three candidates shortlisted by the PDP chieftains, which includes the governor of River State, Nyesom Wike, who is also from the South-South. Also shortlisted was Emeka Ikedioha, the former governor of Imo State, a state in the South East.
Following the announcement of Governor Okowa by Abubakar Atiku, this decision was immediately rejected by stakeholders in the South East. It was expected that the PDP flag bearer will choose a running mate from the zone, where the PDP have had the most undivided support since the inception of civilian rule in 1999.
However, this was not to be, and the Ohanaeze Ndigbo immediately released a statement through Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the Secretary-General of Ohaneze, rejecting the decision of Atiku. In the statement, Ohanaeze described the PDP as a “party not ready to win the 2023 elections.”
It said in the statement that “Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide has described the nomination of Delta State Governor as the PDP running mate to Atiku Abubakar as a chaotic selection for a party not ready to win the 2023 elections.”
The group also berated the PDP saying that the choice of Governor Atiku instead of a candidate from the South East is “the reward for a serial betrayal whose inescapable actions will never add national integrity and value to the progress of PDP in 2023”.
This comment was in reference to the choice of Governor Okowa, who have been accused of betraying the resolve by the Southern governors to insist on power shift to the zone through the zoning of the PDP presidential ticket to the South.
NOTABLE QUOTES
The full comment reads:
“The reward for a serial betrayal whose inescapable actions will never add national integrity and value to the progress of PDP in 2023, Ifeanyi Okowa is a minus for Atiku, as his choice will decline PDP’s fortunes in Delta and Southern Nigeria, a man who misled the Southern Governors’ agenda will never be trusted for the votes of Ndigbo, Igbos will never vote Atiku and Okowa”
Recall that Mr Peter Obi, the candidate of the Labour Party (LP) and a very strong contender in the presidential election is from the South East. Mr. Obi is yet to announce his running mate.
However, with this turn of events in the PDP, the PDP candidate appears to have a more solid chance of a block vote from the South East in the February 2023 presidential election.
It should also be noted that the Ohaneze Ndighbo has not taking any clear and strong position on Peter Obi`s candidacy since he became the flagbearer of the Labour Party.
