Muslim-Muslim Ticket: Tinubu’s Options Narrow As Atiku Picks Okowa Running Mate

The emergence of Senator Ifeanyi Okowa as the vice-presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP may have complicated the difficult task of the All Progressives Congress, APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in picking his running mate.

While many permutations of the APC had been on a Muslim-Muslim ticket directed at harvesting the majority votes of the Muslim North, Atiku Abubakar’s decision to pick Okowa from the Ika speaking region of Delta State has further widened the support base of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP presidential candidate.

While some critics have been quick to assert that Okowa may not be widely known outside Delta State, and as such bringing little addition to the ticket, they, however, overlook the fact that unlike his more vocal rival for the slot, Nyesom Wike, his calmness would not antagonize the North.

Besides, the choice of a vice-presidential candidate from the Ibo speaking area of Delta State will appeal to the people of the South-South and the Southeast geopolitical zones in a stronger sense than the choice of any other person from outside the region.

Even more, by strengthening the hold of the PDP in the Southeast and the South-South, the choice puts the Tinubu campaign in a difficult position in the consideration of a Muslim-Muslim ticket.

Should Tinubu forge ahead with a Muslim-Muslim ticket, he would inevitably be saying to the people of the South-South and Southeast that are almost predominantly Christians that he does not feel for their sensibilities.

The Tinubu think-tank will with the choice of Okowa as PDP running mate, have to again weigh its options and further consider the prospects of a Christian in the North to balance the ticket to enhance its appeal.

By doing so, the APC presidential flag bearer would not just accommodate the interests of the people of the Southeast and South-South, but also the minority Christian population in the North whose aggregate numbers could eventually prove decisive in the Presidential poll.

Atiku with his decision to jettison the report of the PDP panel and making his personal preference for Okowa as a running mate, may have with the decision thrown the first blow at the Tinubu campaign.

Significantly for Tinubu the choice of Okowa as the presidential running mate of the PDP came more than 24 hours to the deadline for him to make his own choice of a running mate. It is a time that Tinubu would indeed cherish.

Send Us A Press Statement Advertise With Us Contact Us

 And For More Nigerian News Visit GWG.NG