Wike Was Right
OpenLife Nigeria reports that former Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, has said he regretted his decision to run as the vice-presidential candidate alongside Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in the 2023 presidential election, admitting that it contradicted the zoning and wishes of his people.
His admittance confirms that the position of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on the basis of President of southern extraction in 2023.
In earlier reports Wike had opened up on why he fiercely opposed former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s presidential ambition during the 2023 elections.
In a media chat, Wike said his opposition to Atiku was rooted in principle, particularly his stance on power rotation to the south after Muhammadu Buhari’s two-term tenure.
“I wanted power to rotate,” Wike said. “After eight years of Buhari from the North, it would have been unfair for another northerner to take over. It wasn’t about being chosen or not — it was about fairness. I looked at the options, and Atiku wasn’t one.”
Dismissing the popular belief that he turned against Atiku because he wasn’t picked as the vice-presidential candidate, Wike clarified: “He never dropped me because he didn’t even pick me. I already knew from the beginning that he wouldn’t.”
Speaking on Arise Television Tuesday morning, Ifeanyi Okowa who, alongside governor Sheriff Oborevwori, just defected to APC described his acceptance of the VP role as a misalignment with the prevailing sentiments in Delta State — an issue he said he has deeply reflected upon.
Coming short of saying Wike was right, Okowa said, “Even when we were campaigning, I realised our people were not interested in having another northerner come into power.
“But the decision had already been taken at the federal level by the party (PDP) and I had been nominated. Still, in retrospect, I now believe I should have gone with the will of my people.”
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