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As political parties gear up to fill in the slot of the vice-presidential positions for the 2023 elections, the Peoples Democratic Party standard-bearer, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, is said to have lowered his search to one person for deliberation as his running mate.
Sources told our correspondent that Atiku’s supporters were zeroing on the Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, for the position of the vice president.
Except for a final-minute change, Okowa may be eventually unveiled as Atiku’s running mate, an authoritative source confided in The PUNCH on the condition of anonymity.
Okowa had played a prominent role in Atiku’s emergence as the standard-bearer of the PDP during the party’s convention last May.
This also gave the Delta State governor an upper hand to be recognised and tipped for the position.
A source said, “Okowa mobilised resources for us during the primary. He is the preferred contender even though others are making case for (Nyesom) Wike and (Emmanuel) Udom.”
In the meantime, the report of a PDP committee, including governors, members of the National Working Committee, and the Board of Trustees, put in place to search for a suitable running mate for the party is expected to be ready today, Tuesday.
In his reaction, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologbunagba, did not give any specifics but said that a decision would be taken after consultations were concluded anytime within the week.
According to the Independent National Electoral Commission, parties have until June 17, 2022, as the final day for the submission of candidates for the presidential election.
