Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has explained why he did not select Nyesom Wike, the former governor of Rivers State, as his running mate in the 2023 presidential election.

Wike had contested for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential ticket but lost to Atiku. Many expected him to be chosen as Atiku’s deputy, but instead, former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa was selected. This decision led to tension between Atiku and Wike, who is now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

In an upcoming interview on the television show Untold Stories with Adesuwa Giwa-Osagie, Atiku shared the reason behind his choice. He recalled that in 2019, some party leaders criticized him for not consulting widely before picking Peter Obi as his running mate.

To avoid the same issue in 2023, Atiku asked the party to form a committee to recommend three candidates for the position. The committee ranked Ifeanyi Okowa as the first choice, Wike as the second, and former Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel as the third.

Atiku explained that he simply followed the committee’s recommendation and chose Okowa, the top-ranked candidate. When asked if he had any regrets about not picking Wike.

He said, “No, not at all.”

This decision has remained a key topic in Nigerian politics, as many believe it contributed to the ongoing tension within the PDP.