PDP Did Not Pick Okowa As Atiku’s Running Mate – Iyorchia Ayu

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Iyorchia Ayu, has stated that he was not responsible for Atiku Abubakar’s choice of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State as his (Atiku) running mate.

Naija News reports that crisis has engulfed the main opposition party following the decision of Atiku to pick Okowa against the recommendation of a panel set up to help screen vice-presidential nominees.

Speaking to The PUNCH, the media aide to the National Chairman of the PDP, Simon Imobo-Tswam, said Atiku was responsible for choosing Okowa as his running mate and not the PDP.

He noted, “This question actually ought to be directed at the PDP presidential candidate, His Excellency, Alhaji. Atiku Abubakar. Okowa is not the running mate to Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, and neither is it the PDP National Chairman or the NWC that chose him as the running mate to Atiku.

“Of course, the party was involved in the processes leading to the emergence of a running mate, but whatever the party did was only advisory; the choice of who became the candidate’s running mate was ultimately, after all said and done, the decision of the candidate.”