Atiku Considers Soludo, Peter Obi, Ekweremadu as Running Mate

The Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has begun earnest search for his running mate as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) deadline for the submission of names of parties’ candidate expires on Monday.

By the 1999 Constitution as amended and the Electoral Act 2010 as amended, no candidature is complete without a running mate.

THISDAY sources close to the Atiku camp said at least three technocrats and two politicians have been penciled down for the position.

The technocrats are, former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Prof. Charles Soludo; former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina; and former Managing Director of Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON), Mr. Chike Obi.

The politicians being considered for the number two position are, former governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, and the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu.

According to a source, the candidate and the PDP hierarchy are still undecided on the zone the position should be allotted. But he said the scope had been narrowed down to the South-west and the South-east.

– THISDAY