Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has explained why he did not select Nyesom Wike, the former governor of Rivers State, as his running mate in the 2023 presidential election.
Wike had lost the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential ticket to Atiku, and many expected him to be chosen as Atiku’s vice-presidential candidate. However, Atiku instead picked Ifeanyi Okowa, the former governor of Delta State—a decision that many believe fueled the ongoing rift between the two politicians.
Party Leaders Influenced the Decision
Speaking in a yet-to-be-aired interview on Untold Stories with Adesuwa Giwa-Osagie, Atiku revealed that he had learned from 2019, when PDP leaders criticized him for not consulting widely before picking Peter Obi as his running mate.
💬 “They said I did not consult with the party enough. So in 2023, I threw the whole thing to the party. I said, ‘Okay, set up a committee and recommend three people for me to pick as a running mate.’”
According to Atiku, the committee presented three options:
- Ifeanyi Okowa (First choice)
- Nyesom Wike (Second choice)
- Udom Emmanuel (Third choice)
💬 “So I picked number one,” Atiku stated, making it clear that his decision was purely based on the committee’s recommendation.
No Regrets Over the Choice
Despite the backlash and political fallout, Atiku emphasized that he had no regrets about not selecting Wike as his running mate.
Wike, now serving as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) under the APC-led administration, has remained a vocal critic of Atiku, further deepening the divide within the PDP.
