As the discussions about potential running mates continue across the country, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has revealed ongoing consultations amongst its stakeholders over the issue.
Debo Ologunagba, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, made this clarification on Wednesday, June 15, during an interview on AriseTV.
Ologunagba further redressed the reports about the emergence of Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, as the running mate to the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, ahead of the 2023 elections.
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The PDP spokesman said;
The PDP is meeting consistent with our policies. We have stated clearly that the PDP is the only organic party conscious to the responsibility to the people which is why there is wide consultations and inclusiveness.
Atiku sought for consultation via the National Working Committee, who ensured that every organ participate in the decision making process, in order to ensure the best candidate emerges.
The speculations regarding Wike is that it is still in the realm of rumour. We follow processes and since we regard the importance of participatory democracy, we introduced in our guidelines a screening process for vice presidential candidates, in consultation with Atiku regarding on who is most suitable for the job.
Ologunagba also explained the prime considerations of the party, with respect to the process entailed in the choice of any running mate.
He stressed;
The prime consideration is Nigeria especially the unity, security and wellbeing of this country. These parameters have been at the forefront of our conversations.
We know that we have been taken too far down the drain regarding this government and the country must be rebuilt and rescued from the precipice. All these would be factored in regarding the choice of a running mate.
The PDP also responded to comments made by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress.
Tinubu, during his acceptance speech at the APC primaries, had tagged the PDP as “Poverty Development Party.”
In the interview, Ologunagba said;
We responded to Asiwaju Tinubu over his ranting in his acceptance speech. A hopelessly irredeemable man complain about others just as a bad workman complains about his tools. Nigerians know the current situation of the country when compared to 2015.
Check all the indices; nobody can pull wool over our eyes. APC is a special purpose vehicle hurriedly put together to defraud Nigerians but Nigerians are wiser now. The APC is in liquidation and it will go down in 2023. We won’t join issues with Asiwaju but the APC put Nigeria in misery and disunity. The leadership confessed they brought on terrorism into this country as evidenced by Aregbesola saying ISWAP attacked Ondo. This is the FG confessing to terrorism to this country.
