* Asiwaju meets Buhari tomorrow

* CPC elements push for Malami, Sirika

* Kingibe nominates 3, Gusau’s panel recommends Okowa, Wike, Udom

*Parties have 72 hours to submit nominees

The camps of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) counterpart, Atiku Abubakar have narrowed down on two persons for consideration as running mates, Daily Trust reports.

Credible sources said Tinubu’s camp has narrowed down on Senator Kashim Shettima, a former governor of Borno State and Atiku’s backers are concluding talks on Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa for the position of the vice president.

Barring any last minute-changes, Shettima and Okowa would be unveiled as the running mates of the two principal contenders for the 2023 presidency.

Daily Trust reports that since the conclusion of the primaries of the two political parties, attention has since been shifted to the selection of running mates of the two leading political parties in the country.

Analysts say the choice of the running mates will determine the victory or otherwise of the two candidates in the February 25, 2023, presidential election.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed June 17, as the deadline for the submission of candidates for the presidential positions.


Shettima’s chances

Multiple sources told this paper that the former Lagos State governor has pencilled down the name of Shettima, who played a critical role in his campaign as his running mate.

“Asiwaju is comfortable with Senator Shettima, not only because of his contribution towards his emergence but he feels the former Borno governor is acceptable to all in the country because he has built bridges across all the divides in the country when he was governor and also when he went to the National Assembly as a senator,” he said.

Another source in the presidency said Shettima enjoys the full support of all the three APC governors in the North East geopolitical zone even as he has been supporting programmes and policies of President Muhammadu Buhari by attributing the success he recorded in Borno to the support of the president.

“Buhari is not averse to the candidature of Shettima,” he said.

“The former Borno governor has been one of the frontline supporters of the president. He brought serious votes in 2015 and 2019 for the success of the president not only in Borno but in other North-East states. Also, the three governors in the North East (Babagana Zulum of Borno, Mai Mala Buni of Yobe and Muhammed Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe) are all sympathetic to Shettima’s candidature.

“Specifically, Zulum has said he is not interested in becoming the running mate. When Tinubu visited Maiduguri last month, Zulum pleaded that Shettima be considered as the running mate,” he said.

According to him, if considered, Shettima will make the “Tinubu presidential ticket inclusive, demographically sensitive and politically correct.

“Shettima ensured the reign of religious harmony in Borno State and spent more than a billion naira to rebuild churches destroyed by the Boko Haram terrorists and singlehandedly sponsored more Christian pilgrims to Jerusalem than Christian Benue, Plateau and Taraba,” he said.

It was however gathered that three governors who are from the North West geopolitical zone, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje (Kano), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi) and Mohammad Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa) are also eyeing the seat.

“But the fact is that the APC is looking at the direction of the North East to produce the running mate so as to deplete the chances of PDP candidate Atiku,” he said.


Pressure from CPC elements

Besides, Daily Trust also gathered from reliable sources that elements of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) are planning to approach President Buhari to recommend Abubakar Malami, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice or the Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika, for the position of the vice president.

“The CPC elements are planning to approach President Buhari to seek for his intercession to endorse either Abubakar Malami or Hadi Sirika as the running mate,” the source said.

“But there is the high probability that the president will repeat what he did ahead of the APC special convention; he will listen to all but he will most likely allow the candidate to have a say in who he wants to work with…They would collectively work in producing the right candidate who will bring votes and acceptability because the ultimate goal is for the APC to retain power,” he said.

It was learnt that Tinubu has an appointment with the president tomorrow and that the issue of running mate is among the issues to be discussed.


Kingibe nominates 3

A former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) has forwarded three names to Tinubu, Daily Trust reliably gathered.

Kingibe, who was running mate to late MKO Abiola in the June 12, 1993, presidential election, has forwarded the names to the Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Bagudu for onward transmission to Tinubu for consideration.

The list has the name of the Borno State governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum; the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Amina J. Mohammed and a liaison officer to the National Assembly during Olusegun Obasanjo’s first tenure, Kashim Ibrahim-Imam, for consideration.

The trio, Daily Trust reports, are Muslims from the North East geopolitical zone. The nomination came amid agitation over the moves by the APC to field a Muslim-Muslim ticket.

A source close to the presidential candidate said they were shocked when the former SGF forwarded the names through Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Bagudu.

“It is true that three names have been forwarded by Ambassador Babagana Kingibe to Governor Atiku Bagudu for onward delivery to Asiwaju for consideration for the office of the vice president,” he said.

Another source said they were still trying to find out on what grounds Kingibe was nominating anyone.

“Even though he is reportedly part of the cabal, what is in the open is that they have a different candidate for the presidency who did not win…We are therefore appalled that he has nominated some people to Asiwaju considering that he is not holding any position. We suspect that he is not alone in the move,” the source said.


Atiku set to settle for Okowa

Similarly, Atiku, the candidate of the PDP is set to nominate Governor Okowa for the position of vice president.

Daily Trust reports that a committee constituted to assist Atiku in searching for a suitable running mate, chaired by General Aliyu Gusau, a former National Security Adviser (NSA), has submitted its report.

The Gusau-committee, according to our source, has recommended Okowa as well as two others – Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike and Akwa Ibom State governor, Udom Emmanuel for consideration.

The source, however, said the former vice president is more comfortable with the Delta State governor given the role he played during the party’s presidential primary.

“Okowa mobilised resources for us during the primary. He is the preferred contender even though others are making case for Wike and Udom,” he said.

The report of another committee constituted to search for a suitable running mate is expected to be ready today.

The committee, comprising governors, members of the National Working Committee (NWC) and the Board of Trustees (BoT), was constituted to carry forward the assignment given to the Gusau’s committee.

Contacted, the spokesperson of the PDP, Debo Ologunagba, urged Nigerians to exercise more patience as the running mate will be unveiled this week.

https://dailytrust.com/running-mates-tinubus-camp-narrows-down-on-shettima-atiku-on-okowa

lalasticlala

Ifeanyi Okowa is the best choice for pdp

Tomorrow is the day for unveiling of APC VP candidate.... So enjoy your speculations, guesses and Muslim - Muslim, Muslim - Babalawo , Muslim - Christian projections

As usual Tinubu would surprise and confuse you all again like he always does

If you think a Political strategist like Tinubu hasn't planned ahead for all scenerios and likely outcome with the right Vice President aspirants then you are a political neophyte




.

Peter Obi and Kwankwaso combination will be a big selling candidacy.

Tinubu himself is seriously confused. Running from pillar to post in search of an incompetent VP


A man who can barely find his steps is desperately seeking the highest public office in Nigeria


No be Juju be that?

Obi/Kwankanso is all we know.

Obi for south votes.
Kwakwamso for northern votes.

Zulum or shettima will be the best choice for tinubu...okowa will only curry delta north votes for atiku while udom influence won't go beyond his state

Shettima based on competence, credentials and general acceptability as a non-fanatical muslim is an excellent choice.

Also, he is a minority from the Kanuri tribe.

However, fireworks from CAN, PFN, Southern Christians are incoming. I don't envy Tinubu ooo.

Atiku going for Okowa is a good news to me, Okowa doesn't have any influence outside Delta State. Wike would have been a very strong option.


As for Tinubu,this is the beginning of his failure. Choosing a northern Muslim VP in a country with Christian majority,he doesn't value the presence of Christians in Nigeria.

APC has sent a clear message that they don't care about Christain. President, presidencial candidate, Senate president and now VP Candidate are all Muslim. Where is the justice for Christians?


Anyways na Obi we know.

DOA

If APC and PDP like make they Choose Barrack Obama as Running mate.

I and my Family must be OBIdient, because OBIdient is better than Sacrifice.

When will son of nobody become somebody in zoo we find ourselves

I swear this country is over if this two win power

none of these three candidates are better options but we just have to look well and settle for the lesser devil.

only their manifesto can do something for a reasonable Nigerian hoping they will implement as strategically stated.

no candidate should come with a million point agenda. all they need is three point agenda which includes: POWER, SECURITY and INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT.

POWER: power generation, empowerment and employment generation.

SECURITY: food security, protection of life and properties, restructuring of national security architecture.

INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT: this will include good road network connecting the entire nation. rail development, liberating the Local Government from the claws of state government to fast track rural development and growth and many others.

with these mentioned the economy is sure finding its way back on track.

Bomboiy:
Atiku going for Okowa is a good news to me, Okowa doesn't have any influence outside Delta State. Wike would have been a very strong option.


As for Tinubu,this is the beginning of his failure. Choosing a northern Muslim VP in a country with Christian majority,he doesn't value the presence of Christians in Nigeria.

APC has sent a clear message that they don't care about Christain. President, presidencial candidate, Senate president and now VP Candidate are all Muslim. Where is the justice for Christians?


Anyways na Obi we know.

Wike doesnt have any influence outside Rivers.

Adaorababy:
DOA

I will only know that it is DOA after the 2023 election: Northern Christians are slaves while the Southern Christians believe only in their stomachs!

G

A

God is fighting for us!.... Sit down and relax.

Geeeze, APC is having it bad now o. From head to tail, nobody there for consideration. So Tay, they are looking at Shetima and friggin Malami. The prince of thieves. Anyways, they know they can't win.

Okowa of all people.

I go dey pray for una from diaspora

ATIKU
ATIKU
ATIKU the Incoming President of the federal republic of Nigeria 2023

Anything but shetima

Just be careful when handshake don dey pass elbow. If APC na rainfall, i prefer it does not fall on my farm, i rather do dry season farming.

mach7:
Shettima based on competence, credentials and general acceptability as a non-fanatical muslim is an excellent choice.

Also, he is a minority from the Kanuri tribe.

However, fireworks from CAN, PFN, Southern Christians are incoming. I don't envy Tinubu ooo.

There is nothing like minority in the kanuri tribe, kanuri is kanuri. Make una no come your minority- majority thing enter Kanuri abeg

Ok. I'm praying let this terrorist party make the mistake of Muslim Muslim ticket first, 17th is just few hours away.