Okowa: ‘Panel Nominated Three Names, Atiku Made His Choice’ – PDP Group

The Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) South-South Vanguard (SSV) has reacted to the controversy trailing the emergence of Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, as running mate to the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

The choice of Okowa was rejected by some members of the party, which led to a crisis, Naija News reports.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by the SSV-PDP zonal coordinator, Alfred Eboziem, the group said it was untrue that the 17-member panel supported Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike by a vote of 14-3.

SSV-PDP emphasized that the team’s mandate was to suggest three people rather than choose just one.

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

The group, however, appealed to Governors Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Samuel Ortom (Benue) and other aggrieved chieftains to close ranks and forge the iron-cast unity that would see the party emerge victorious in 2023.

The group said: ”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.

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

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