2023 Polls: Atiku Hails Okowa As Dogged Fighter
BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – Former Vice President and Presidential flag bearer of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar says Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s disposition as a fighter informed his selection as the Vice Presidential candidate for the 2023 general elections.
“You know him to be a fighter; you know him to care about winning; you know him to care about good governance, and you know him to care about our people”, Atiku said while announcing the Delta State governor as his running mate.
The announcement on Thursday saw the country’s main opposition party beating the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s deadline for political parties to choose and submit names of their Vice Presidential candidates on or before Friday, June 17, 2022
According to Atiku, choosing among the three names initially presented to him was quite a difficult decision but eventually had to settle on Okowa, who as a fighter, has mastered the art of politics while steadily rising to prominence in Delta State and PDP as well.
He however maintained that “Every one of the recommended persons is a fit and proper individual to hold this office. While this makes me marvel at the bundle of talents that abounds in our party, it also compounded my task of choosing a single person from among them.”
Further highlighting the process leading to Governor Okowa’s choice, the Warizin Adamawa said; “I held wide consultations with various stakeholders in our party including our Governors, National Working Committee, Board of Trustees, and other leaders to seek their inputs and their wisdom.
“In these consultations, I made clear that my running mate would have the potential to succeed me at a moment’s notice, that is, a President-in-waiting.”
“In other words, the person must have the qualities to be President. The person must have an appreciation of the deep rot which our country has been put into by the rudderless APC government; understands the great suffering that most of our people are going through and the urgency of relieving them of that suffering; understand the critical importance of economic growth and development to provide our young people with jobs, hope, and a pathway to wealth.
“The person must appreciate the critical importance of education in the development of modern societies so we can prepare our young people to be able to compete in the increasingly competitive and globalized world.
“My running mate must understand that without security, the development will be very difficult because local and foreign investors who have been scared away already, would not return to invest in our economy. Thus, my running mate will be a person who will stand by me as I confront the frightening level of insecurity in our land.”
The PDP presidential candidate said with the choice of a running mate now settled, it is time for all stakeholders to come together and push ahead towards victory in 2023, saying; “Now, my dear friends, let’s do the disciplined hard work necessary to win this election.”
