Running mate: Atiku picked Okowa because he’s Igbo from South-South – Chidoka

Former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, has noted that being an Igbo from the South-South zone, also gave Ifeanyi Okowa an edge in being picked as running mate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

Atiku Abubakar on Thursday picked the Delta State Governor as his running mate.

The PDP presidential candidate stated that he chose Okowa because the governor meets “all or most of the qualities” he desires.

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike and his Akwa Ibom State counterpart, Emmanuel Udom were also listed as likely choices prior to the announcement.

But appearing on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Thursday, Osita, a chieftain of the main opposition party, explained, “What we have today is that Atiku Abubakar is going to run with Okowa and that’s where we are.

“It created a sense of wide acceptability within the party. He is governor of the PDP and particularly a party man.

“He was the Chairman of the famous Port Harcourt convention that many people praised…he has shown great interest in the work of the party over the years.

“His appointment was widely welcome by the members of the party. The choice of Vice President from amongst the governors was a very strategic choice because the preponderance of PDP governors are second term governors.

“In 2019 they were first term governors so they were not available to join the ticket but now the governors are in their second terms, they’re a very powerful bloc in any political party. .. Ifeanyi Okowa interestingly occupies two race.

“There are Igbos beyond South East so he is an Igbo not in the South East but he is in the South South. He is an Igbo in the South-South and that makes a lot of difference. So I’m sure that gave him some notches in the context to become the vice president.”