June 12, (THEWILL) – With just a few days to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC’s deadline for the submission of the names of the vice presidential candidates of political parties, intensive lobbying has begun in earnest within the top hierarchy of the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as many party stalwarts are striving to occupy the position. Some of the names that have been mooted so far include that of the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike and his Delta State counterpart, Governor Ifeanyi Okonwa; Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel; former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Anyim Pius Anyim .
There is also a school of thought within the party that is insisting that the search for Atiku’s vice should not be limited to state governors on the platform of the party. It was said that members of the National Assembly and former state governors should also be considered. One name that this group is touting is that of a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha.
In order to get a vice presidential candidate that will be acceptable to all, the PDP has set up three committees, namely, Former Governors Forum led by a former Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido; PDP Governors Forum led by the Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State and the Board of Trustees (BoT) and National Working Committee (NWC) Forum .
The Committees have been saddled with the responsibility of coming up with three names, but it is believed that the party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, will have the final say as Atiku knows what he wants and the quality he requires. But many of the party stalwarts believe Atiku needs a young person as vice president.
THE FRONTLINERS
NYESOM WIKE
Aside from coming second in the presidential primary of the party, Wike is a respected party man. He used to boast that he had not once left PDP for another party since 1999. He is also known to be a major financier of the party since the PDP left the national governance in 2015.
Initially, it was gathered that Wike said he was not keen to occupy the vice presidential position. But it is now clear that he (Wike) is lobbying frantically to ensure that he emerges as Atiku’s running mate in the 2023 presidential election.
It is also gathered that some governors like Seyi Makinde of Oyo State who is believed to be his close ally and others, such as Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and Samuel Otorm, are supporting and lobbying for him.
Political analysts believe he deserves to pick the Vice Presidential slot given his political pedigree and commitment to the party during the hard times. However, many are cautious of his temperament.
His admirers are also worried that with the way things are, presently, if the PDP do not gain power at the federal level, Wike may be forced to be on a forced holiday because he has not obtained senatorial form and so cannot be in the Senate.
Therefore if there is anybody that needs the post of VeePee most, Wike is the one and he is no more pretending about his desire for it.
IFEANYI OKOWA
Many people believe Governor Ifeanyi Okowa is best suited to be the vice presidential candidate of the PDP. Those who are in this school of thought believe his meekness and political sagacity is enough to make him Atiku Abubakar’s deputy.
His present relationship with the former Governor of the state, Chief James Onanafe Ibori, may however jeopardise his ambition. The relationship between Ibori and Okowa seem to have gone sour with the recently conducted primary of the PDP in the state.
It could be recalled that Sheriff Oborevwori, speaker of the Delta House of Assembly won the PDP governorship primary in Delta State. He defeated David Edevbie, commissioner for finance during the James Ibori administration, who is believed to be Ibori’s candidate for the governorship position.
It is therefore clear that Ibori will not put a word to Atiku to consider Okowa for such a position as VP. Okowa may find it difficult to get Ibori’s support for his desire to be Atiku’s vice except he is willing to ensure the reversal of what transpired at the governorship primary.
It was also gathered that many southern PDP governors are angry that Okowa betrayed them after they all agreed to back a southern president, he was said to have secretly traded them off by supporting Atiku, thus paving the way for an opportunity to grab the VP slot. They were said to have vowed that they will oppose any move to make him vice president.
UDOM EMMANUEL
Emmanuel has the highest chance of picking the Vice Presidential slot of the PDP. Being a former Executive Director of Zenith Bank will give a balance to Abubakar who may not be well versed in economics. This becomes more necessary, given the economic situation of the country.
Aside this, Emmanuel, a cerebral politician who came fourth in the PDP presidential primary, has been governor of oil-rich Akwa Ibom State for more than seven years. He is capable of sourcing money required for the general election, which will pit the PDP against the ruling APC.
EMEKA IHEDIOHA
Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha who was born on March 24, 1965, is the immediate former Governor of Imo State and a former Deputy Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives. He was removed as the Executive Governor of Imo state on January 14, 2020 by the Supreme Court of Nigeria which declared the APC candidate, Hope Uzodima as the authentic winner of the 2019 Imo Gubernatorial election
He represented the Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency of Imo State from 2003 to 2015. He was also the former deputy speaker of the House of Representatives. He holds a National Honour as Commander of the Order of Niger (CON).
In 2015, Ihedioha served as Speaker of the House of Representatives following the decamping to APC and subsequent swearing-in of Aminu Tambuwal as the Executive Governor of Sokoto State
Many party leaders who are yearning for young person as the Vice President are rooting for Ihedioha .
ANYIM PIUS ANYIM
Anyim Pius Anyim was one of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Presidential aspirant that lost to the party’s candidate, Atiku Abubakar at the Special Convention /Presidential Primary of the PDP held in Abuja on Saturday, May 28, 2022. He scored 14 votes at the primary.
Born on April, 14, 1960, Anyim served as the President of the Senate and was Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) during Goodluck Jonathan’s presidency. He was elected a Senator on the platform of the PDP in 1999 for the Ebonyi South Senatorial District of Ebonyi State. He was elected Senate President in August 2000. He announced his ambition to run for the 2023 presidential elections in February 2022.
He is being seen as the likely candidate for the Vice President as a way of placating the South East who felt disappointed with the non-adherent to zoning formula by the PDP during the last Presidential primary.
About the Author
AYO ESAN, has been actively reporting and analyzing political events for different newspapers for over 18 years. He has also successfully covered national and state elections in Nigeria since the inception of this democracy in 1999.
