Choosing a vice presidential candidate is just as important as choosing a party’s flagbearer. A running mate must also be able to contribute a large number of votes to the ticket on which he or she is running.
Even though the vice president’s constitutional powers are limited, a great deal of thought and planning must go into selecting a running mate.
With the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) June 17th deadline approaching, political parties and presidential candidates must choose a running mate.
Choosing a vice presidential candidate is just as important as choosing a party’s flagbearer. A running mate must also be able to contribute a large number of votes to the ticket on which he or she is running.
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Even though the vice president’s constitutional powers are limited, a great deal of thought and planning must go into selecting a running mate.
With the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) June 17th deadline approaching, political parties and presidential candidates must choose a running mate.
Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), and others are among the presidential candidates and political parties expected to name their running mates.
The 2023 general election could be a straight fight between Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party and Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, with the main opposition party hoping to overcome the most important hurdle of choosing a running mate.
With Tinubu’s pedigree and political savvy, Atiku and the PDP must choose the right running mate to counteract the former Lagos governor’s strength in the South.
Atiku and his team must choose a running mate with national appeal, electoral value in Atiku’s geopolitical zone of origin, and the ability to bring high-quality ideas to the table while also contributing to national development.
Such a person must be devoid of controversies, level-headed, a deep thinker, and a master strategist.
Atiku, who is from the North East, must balance his ticket by choosing someone from the South, which produces the current Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, and the APC candidate, the Waziri of Adamawa, from the South-South or South-East.
Choosing a running mate from the South-West to counter Tinubu’s power in that region may prove to be a mistake, and Atiku’s campaign would benefit greatly if he focused on the South-East or South-South.
Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel, Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, and former Governor of lmo State Emeka Ihedioha are among the notable names that have emerged from this political calculation.
All of the above will bring their own set of strengths, advantages, and weaknesses to the table, but Atiku and his team will have their work cut out for them in deciding which is the best of the bunch.
Governor Wike and Okowa have been tipped as the two frontrunners in the main opposition party by various power blocs.
Okowa vs. Wike
Nyesom Wike is a Nigerian politician.
Nyesom Wike, the governor of Rivers State, is also known as ‘Mr Project’ by Nigerians across the country.
Wike, who is from Rumuepirikom in Obio-Akpor, Rivers State, began his career as a local government chairman before becoming the governor’s chief of staff, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. He was later appointed Minister of State for Education by President Goodluck Jonathan, after which he ran for governor and defeated APC candidate Dakuku Peterside.
Despite losing the PDP presidential nomination to Atiku, Wike, a lawyer, has a track record of winning elections, having defeated his former boss, Chibuike Amaechi, twice and securing massive votes for the PDP in Rivers State in 2019.
Is he, however, politically strong enough to win South-South or South-East bloc votes? Keep in mind that despite leading the PDP’s campaign in Bayelsa, the party lost the election before the Supreme Court declared victory.
Wike, who earned the moniker ‘Mr Project’ for his achievements in the field of infrastructure, is well-known for having a strong personality, being aggressive, outspoken, and not easily swayed.
He is thought to have the financial clout that would help the PDP campaign across the country.
Wike’s spur-of-the-moment outbursts, on the other hand, may be a liability to stakeholders. Many have referred to his actions as “unpresidential.”
Many people have spoken out against his presidential campaign because of his tendency to verbally attack colleagues and political opponents. The alleged moves behind the scenes to sabotage his presidential ambitions at the PDP special national convention should come as no surprise.
Wike, who has denied being an Igbo, may have trouble persuading people in the Eastern region to vote for the PDP.
The PDP has already faced backlash from Ndigbo after refusing to zone its presidential ticket to the south and instead nominating Atiku.
Ifeanyi Okowa is a Nigerian politician.
Ifeanyi Okowa, the governor of Delta State, is another candidate who is said to be favored by Atiku to be his running mate.
Okowa, a medical doctor, is known for his humility, strategic thinking, and political clout, especially in the country’s south.
He began his political career as the Secretary of the Ika North Local Government, later rising to the position of Chairman.
In Delta State, he was also a commissioner in three different ministries: agriculture, water resources, and health.
In June 2007, Okowa was appointed Secretary to the State Government, and in 2011, he was elected to the National Assembly to represent the Delta North Senatorial District.
Okowa contested and won elections as Delta State governor for the first and second terms, despite having an impressive resume.
Okowa has built strong relationships, influence, and contacts as a result of his experience at the grassroots, state, and national levels.
The Delta State governor, who reportedly worked behind the scenes to help the former Vice President become the party’s presidential candidate in 2023, is regarded not only as a politician, but also as an intellectual leader, as evidenced by his numerous lectures.
When compared to Nyesom Wike, Okowa may not be as outspoken, but he has never shied away from participating in national debates.
The governor has also been able to balance the state’s ethno-religious interests, which Atiku and his supporters could use to sell their presidential campaign.
Nigeria has never been so religiously divided, and the combination of Atiku, who prides himself on being a unifier, and Okowa could be exactly what the country needs to heal.
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Although Delta State is in the South-South, Okowa, who is from Ikah North, may be able to resolve the South-East-South-South tussle for the PDP Vice Presidential candidate.
Okowa, who is from Delta’s Igbo speaking region, has the cultural appeal to sway votes from both regions and could be the PDP’s election joker next year.
Will Atiku be willing to take advantage of these benefits? After Friday, things should be a lot clearer.
