In the Second Republic, Chief Kenneth Ozumba Mbadiwe was a prominent political figure in the then National Party of Nigerian (NPN). However, the presidential candidate of the party at the time, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, chose Dr Alex Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme as his preferred running mate. Ekwueme who had earlier lost the governorship primaries of the party to Chief C. C. Onoh was picked as the vice presidential candidate of the party by Shagari. Ekwueme was a greenhorn in politics at the time having not held any political position prior to that time, yet Shagari chose him instead of K.O Mbadiwe. If it were to be today, the governors of the NPN would have raised hell by such a decision. The party panjandrums didn’t impose Mbadiwe on Shagari neither did Mbadiwe threaten to bring down the roof of the NPN because a political neophyte in the person of Ekwueme was chosen in his stead.
In the current Fourth Republic civilian dispensation which started in 1999, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), chose Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as his running mate. The permutations and expectations of many party faithful and Nigerians in general were that candidate Obasanjo would choose Alhaji Abubakar Rimi who was a very strong voice in the North as his running mate. Rimi also contested the presidential primaries with Obasanjo in Jos, Plateau state. Unlike Ekwueme, Atiku was not a neophyte in politics having contested the presidency in 1993 but was disqualified. He was also a governor-elect of Adamawa state.
However, Obasanjo picked him instead of Rimi. The governors-elect and the party apparatchiks at the time didn’t insist on imposing Rimi on Obasanjo nor did they threaten to bring down the roof of the party because Rimi was not chosen. In 2007, Dr. Peter Odili was a front-runner presidential aspirant on the platform of this same PDP. In fact, he was set to emerge as the presidential candidate of the party before President Obasanjo stopped him through a sleight of hand. Moreover, Obasanjo was committed to returning power to the North after his tenure as a southerner.
When Umaru Musa Yar’Adua emerged as the presidential candidate, it was almost a foregone conclusion that he would pick Dr. Odili as his running mate. However, candidate Yar’Adua chose Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan as his preferred running mate to the chagrin and consternation of most Nigerians. The party’s panjandrums and elected governors didn’t insist that it must be Odili or heavens would fall. They didn’t impose Odili on President Yar’Adua at all costs. Dr. Jonathan who was then content on retaining his seat as governor of Bayelsa state was picked apparently against his will to be Yar’Adua’s running mate. PDP had about 28 governors at the time. They didn’t threaten to bring down the roof of the party if Jonathan was not substituted. Odili took the decision in his strides and equanimity.
When Vice President Jonathan became the President of Nigeria, he unilaterally picked then governor of Kaduna state, Alhaji Namadi Sambo, as his vice president. He also retained Sambo as his running mate in the 2011 general elections. The party leaders and governors at the time didn’t threaten to bring down the heavens unless their preferred choice was picked.
In 2019, Atiku picked Mr. Peter Obi as his running mate. The party had many sitting governors at the time, but Atiku chose Peter Obi who was not a sitting governor. Most of these governors threatening fire and brimstones now were in their first term at the time. They didn’t make any fuss about Obi’s choice. They concentrated on their re-elections. Could it be that they are making this threat in 2022 because they are in their final term? Why should the selection of Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, who’s their colleague, be raising ruckus? Do these PDP governors want their party to continue in opposition for another 16 years if Atiku loses? What exactly makes Wike a better candidate than Okowa?
Now, a political comparison between Okowa and Wike is imperative to situate a proper context. As far back as 1991, Dr Okowa was already a secretary of a local council in Delta state. In 1992, he became the elected chairman of Ika North local government area. Where was Wike at that time? When Wike became a local government chairman in 1999, Okowa was a commissioner, secretary to the state government, senator before he was elected governor in 2015. By implication, Okowa had won four elections as local government chairman, senator and governor twice whereas Wike had won three elections as local government chairman and governor twice also.
These PDP leaders who are insisting on Wike do not take Igbo votes into consideration. Most Ndigbo may never vote Atiku if he had chosen Wike as his running mate because Wike had repeatedly proclaimed that he’s not Igbo. Have these PDP leaders forgotten what happened at Obigbo in Oyingbo local government area of Rivers state in 2021? Have they forgotten that the leader of the indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Mazi Nnamdi Kanu had repeatedly declared a fatwa on Wike (rightly or wrongly) due to what happened at Obigbo in the past? Moreover, Wike had for the umpteenth time declared that he was not interested in the vice presidential position before the primary. Conversely, Okowa has never denied his Igbo identity. Okowa has never made any provocative statement against Ndigbo or talk condescendingly on his fellow governors as if he’s superior to them.
Finally, Atiku and PDP leaders should pacify and placate Wike for a united PDP for the battle ahead. Those who say Okowa is not strong politically should ask themselves how he managed to become governor in 2015 against the will of the then outgoing governor. Okowa remains a perfect complement for Atiku in the 2023 presidential ticket. He comes with little or no political baggage.
Maduako writes from Owerri, Imo state via [email protected]
