The Igbo's apex socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has asked the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to forget votes from the South-East region if he drops Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, as his running mate for the 2023 presidential election.
There are speculations that PDP governors and stakeholders are pressuring Atiku to drop Okowa and replace him with Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike.
There were reports that the party's stakeholders recommended Nyesom Wike as running mate to Atiku. But Atiku ejected the recommendation and went for Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa.
Wike’s loyalists are also said to be demanding that the only way for peace return in the party is for Atiku to replace Okowa with Wike.
However, in a statement on Tuesday by the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, OYC, said Atiku should perish the idea of dropping Okowa or face the consequence of losing votes from Southeast.
The statement which was signed by the National President of OYC, Okwu Nnabuike and the Secretary, Obinna Achionye said any attempt to replace Okowa would backfire.
“There is no need to repeat that we expected both the PDP and the APC to zone their presidential tickets to the South-East, but that did not happen.
“Though this has been overtaken by events, the only consolation we have is the choice of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as running mate to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, considering that Okowa is a true Igbo son.
“Having said this, how could anyone wake up and think of replacing Okowa with Wike? As much as we know that Atiku reserves the right to choose whoever he wills as his running mate, we also have the right to vote according to our desire.”
They said their decision for not wanting Wike is based on the fact that Wike had once said he is not Igbo.
“And that desire is clear- that the PDP would not get one vote from Igbo land should they field Wike, because this is a man who disowned Ndigbo. He said he is not one of us and this is payback time, we also do not know him. Should the PDP make the mistake of pairing him with Atiku, the PDP will be roundly rejected during the presidential election,” the Ohanaeze youths warned.
The group stressed that the era of bogus and fake results are over by the virtue of the new Electoral Law.
“With the new Electoral Act, those who constituted themselves into emperors are going to be disgraced during the polls. The time for bogus fake results is over, so nobody should be deceived.”