Atiku In Enugu Taps Okowa Among Igbos To Succeed Him

Atiku Abubakar firmly projected his running mate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa in the race to succeed him as president when he reiterated that his presidency will be a stepping stone for an Igbo man to become president of the country.

However, for the first time he said that the successor could be an Igbo man from either side of the Niger, putting Okowa, the Igbo speaking running mate from the South-South geopolitical zone among those in his consideration.

GWG.ng reports that Atiku spoke at a well attended PDP presidential rally in Enugu that was graced by dignitaries and some of the PDP heavyweights from the region including one time president of the Senate, Anyim Pius Anyim.

However, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, one of the G-5 governors who have turned their back on the PDP presidential campaign was conspicuously absent.

Atiku who spoke for about four minutes following campaign stumps by Senator Dino Melaye, national chairman Senator Iyorcha Ayu, among others brought to fore the prospect of his successor being an Igbo man from either side of the Niger.

He had in what could have been seen as a slip of the tongue, initially said that his presidency would be a stepping stone for Southeasterners before quickly correcting himself to say that Igbos are found within and outside the Southeast.

He said:
“I am very pleased with the size of the crowd here. Whoever says that there is no PDP in Enugu, is not saying the truth. There is PDP in Enugu and Enugu has been PDP from inception and is still PDP today and will continue to be PDP.

“When I came here two months ago to attend a zonal conference of the Southeast, I said to the Southeasterners or to the Igbos, I am going to be a stepping stone to the Igbo presidency.

“And I mean it. I mean it, whether an Igbo man is from the Southeast or from the South-South it is the same…Today, my running mate is an Igbo man,” he said in reference to his Ika, South-South born running mate.

“It is a universal race. So, my fellow brothers and sisters in Enugu State, I want you to continue believing in the PDP.”

GWG.ng reports that the naming of Okowa by Atiku as an Igbo from across the Niger is bound to raise debate among the Igbo elite in the Southeast who had also begone to put speculation on Governor Charles Soludo among those in contention to succeed Atiku should he emerge president in the election holding on February 25.

Meanwhile, insiders in the Atiku Campaign have continued to keep mum on whether Atiku who is 76 would seek a second term given that he would be 80 years old at the end of his possible first term.

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