2019 Elections: Atiku Considering Soludo, Peter Obi, Adeshina As Running Mate

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is reportedly searching for his running mate ahead of the 2019 elections.

The Independent National Electoral Commission requires that all parties present their candidates for the next election on or before Monday, October 8 2018.

According to reports in This Day, the 1999 Constitution stipulates that “no candidature is complete without a running mate.

It is understood that Atiku has begun search to find a running mate and has notified three technocrats and two politicians for the position.

The technocrats are, former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Prof. Charles Soludo; former minister of agriculture and rural development, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina; and former managing director of Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON), Chike Obi.

Meanwhile, it was gathered that the politicians being considered for the number two position are, former governor of Anambra state, Peter Obi, and the deputy Senate president, Senator Ike Ekweremadu.

A close source to the PDP and Atiku told This Day: “We would have to weigh the electoral value of both zones and decide where we would allot it. There was the need to maintain a balance between the existing political configuration, which requires the party to challenge the dominance of the APC in the high voting southwest by picking a running mate that would challenge the electoral advantage of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; and the need to retain the loyalty of the southeast that had remained a PDP stronghold. “Both zones were believed to have helped Atiku to neutralise the northern zones’ delegates’ votes that went to Sokoto state Governor, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, during the presidential primary on Saturday”, the source said.