| Gen. Ibrahim Babangida |
Indications have emerged that the consensus candidate of the Adamu Ciroma-led Northern Political Leaders Forum, Atiku Abubakar, is yet to get a running mate of Igbo extraction as planned. It was also learnt that Atiku, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (retd) and Governor of Kwara State, Bukola Saraki, met on Saturday in Abuja, where they agreed to work together during the forthcoming Peoples Democratic Party presidential primaries.
There, it was decided that the IBB group would nominate a running mate for Atiku.
SUNDAY PUNCH gathered that the NPLF and the South-East Political Forum are yet to settle for the candidate that can take the position.
The forum also reserved the ticket of Chief of Staff for Saraki.
Atiku had, before his nomination as the forum‘s consensus candidate, promised the Alex Ekwueme-led SPF that he would rule for only one term of four years if elected, to pave way for the emergence of a successor from the South-East.
In an exclusive interview with SUNDAY PUNCH, the Secretary of SPF, Chief Chyna Iwuanyanwu, said the search for a worthy running mate for Atiku from the South-East has started.
He said, ”The search is to make sure that the South-East is competently represented. Right now, we have not narrowed down on any candidate. We have agreed with the NPF and recommitted ourselves to a resolution earlier reached.”
Iwuanyanwu said Ekwueme would head a high-powered committee that would screen prominent and credible Ndigbo.
He added, ”We have agreed that we will present credible Igbo candidates from which they can choose. What we are looking at is the shortest route to an Igbo presidency in 2015.”
But, the Director, Media and Publicity of the Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organisation, Mallam Garba Shehu, told our correspondent that the issue of who runs with Atiku should be left for him to address.
SOURCE