Okowa: Panel asked to shortlist not select Atiku’s running mate – PDP group

South-South Vanguard of the Peoples Democratic Party (SSV-PDP) has commented on the controversy over the emergence of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.

The Delta helmsman will run for presidency in 2022 as running mate to former vice president Atiku Abubakar.

Alfred Eboziem, SSV-PDP zonal coordinator issued a statement on Wednesday.

The group said the news that the 17-member panel voted 14-3 in favour of Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike was false.

SSV-PDP stressed that the team’s mandate was to nominate three individuals and not to select one person.

”If the committee voted as is being said, then it was wrong to have done so because that would mean over-stepping the brief given to it,” he said.

The statement added that both Atiku and the PDP leadership were clear on the committee’s role from the onset.

“The idea was to present three names from which the presidential candidate would make his choice,” Eboziem noted.

The group, however, appealed to Governors Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Samuel Ortom (Benue) and other aggrieved chieftains to continue to work with the party.

”They should close ranks and forge the type of iron-cast unity that would see our party victorious in 2023″, it advised.