₦airaland Forum

…Forces threw up Liyel Imoke too
…Details of last-minute intrigues in Atiku running mate issue

THOUGH the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has formally announced the former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, as the running mate to its presidential candidate, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, many intrigues, it was said, characterised how the choice was eventually arrived at.

Insiders in the party, at the weekend, shared the details of the last-minute intrigues that heralded the choice of Amaechi with the Sunday Tribune.

According to the sources, some close associates of the former vice-president had calculated that the best zone to pick a running mate from ahead of the 2027 race is the South-East.

It was gathered that in a desperate bid to ensure a South-Eastern candidate filled the slot, names were thrown up, including the like of Senator Ben Obi; Hon Emeka Ihedioha and the former Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo- Iweala.

Another source stated that it was argued that if a candidate from the South-East would not work, a long-standing ally of Atiku and former governor of Cross River State, Senator Liyel Imoke, should be considered.

It was learnt that some party stakeholders believed that in the absence of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, Mr. Peter Obi, on a joint ticket with Atiku, a strong name from the South-East, should be fished out for the VP slot.

Sources further said that while party leaders were busy sieving from the who is who on the long list, a delegation led by another top chieftain of the party from the North-East was sent to Okonjo-Iweala during her recent birthday celebration.

It was learnt that while the visit was made to look like a birthday felicitation, the leader of the team, a former top shot in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who had also joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) at a stage, met with Okonjo-Iweala to discuss the agenda.

A source stated that Okonjo-Iweala was non-committal on the project, but that she advised the team to consult widely in Nigeria before making a choice.

Said a source in the know: “The ADC’s decision to pick Amaechi was not a straightforward issue as it looked. Though he appeared to be their best choice ab initio, having come second in the primary election and being the stand-out candidate from the South. Some forces in the party, however, believed that a candidate of the South-East origin would do well for the party.

“So, they orchestrated an agenda to draft Okonjo-Iweala into the race as the running mate to Atiku.

A top political face from the North-East led a delegation to visit the former Minister, who is the Director General of the World Trade Organisation, to brief her on the development. We understood that the woman did not give categorical answers, but she was said to have advised that the team should search widely and consult well across the regions of South-East and South-South ahead of the election.

“We were still on that when the name of the former governor of Cross River State, Senator Liyel Imoke, came up. He was also regarded as a strong ally of the former vice-president who could rally the South-South behind the ADC candidate.

“However, elders of the party came together in a last-minute move and advised against toying with anything that could cause further division. It was at that point the party resolved that Amaechi, who had been the chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum and a former Minister of Transportation, be picked as Atiku’s running mate.”

The source said that while all the moves were ongoing, Atiku, however, maintained a close touch with Amaechi, leading to a smooth process at the end of the day.

1Alex:
Madam no go even listen to them.

Nword22:
With or without buhari she will win because wto is not a Nigerian organization.

fergie001:
Says who?
She is at the WTO today because of politics. No matter how brilliant she is, she can't be DG without the support of her home country. If Buhari said No, she won't be DG of any International Organisation.

Again, Atiku was instrumental in bringing her to Nigeria from the World Bank and then introduced her to OBJ. So, it's listen to them and politely say NO.

AMINDA:
The truth is that an Atiku presidency will assemble the best minds to administer this country. Under the Obasanjo presidency, he and Obasanjo had a young and formidable team comprising of Charles Chukwuma Soludo, Nasir El-Rufai, Oby Ezekwesili and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the engine room of their presidency. Even Nuhu Ribadu was later scouted and brought in to run the newly created EFCC. Many of us thought a Tinubu presidency will replicate that given the team he put together in Lagos but it ended up being an all-Lagos affair with politics and cronyism taking the place of competence and capacity.

fergie001:
Says who?
She is at the WTO today because of politics. No matter how brilliant she is, she can't be DG without the support of her home country. If Buhari said No, she won't be DG of any International Organisation.

Again, Atiku was instrumental in bringing her to Nigeria from the World Bank and then introduced her to OBJ. So, it's listen to them and politely say NO.

Sheuns:
The successes Tinubu had as Lagos state governor can be attributed to the brilliant economic leadership of the central PDP government then.

Nword22:
With or without buhari she will win because wto is not a Nigerian organization.

tunjijones:
Central PDP government that withheld Lagos state allocations for several years.

Why una no too dey use una head nau.

tunjijones:
If the president say no, she can't be where is she today.

That is why she came back to specially thank Buhari. That was why she hardly say anything bad about Buhari government.

It's all politics.

fergie001:
Says who?
She is at the WTO today because of politics. No matter how brilliant she is, she can't be DG without the support of her home country. If Buhari said No, she won't be DG of any International Organisation.

Again, Atiku was instrumental in bringing her to Nigeria from the World Bank and then introduced her to OBJ. So, it's listen to them and politely say NO.
It is part of the rules that anybody who must contest must get an endorsement from his/her own country If your President or home Govt doesn't endorse, you fail nomination instantly.

Nword22:
With or without buhari she will win because wto is not a Nigerian organization.

givedemwotowoto:
Okonjo Iweala is an American citizen. She got the job because of Biden. She's a democrat.

Nword22:
That's a storyline... coming back to thank him is because he also supported her not because she can't be where she is..do you know some important world post she held before when buhari was in his Village?

Wickedfacts:
Not in my Biden, na Netanyahu.
All these village dwelling Obidients sef.

Go to the WTO website and educate yourself.

fergie001:
Says who?
She is at the WTO today because of politics. No matter how brilliant she is, she can't be DG without the support of her home country. If Buhari said No, she won't be DG of any International Organisation.

Again, Atiku was instrumental in bringing her to Nigeria from the World Bank and then introduced her to OBJ. So, it's listen to them and politely say NO.
It is part of the rules that anybody who must contest must get an endorsement from his/her own country If your President or home Govt doesn't endorse, you fail nomination instantly.

lamentor78:
Madam should distance herself from these politicians

givedemwotowoto:
She got the job because of Biden not Buhari. Read that statement again and again if it's difficult to understand.

Wickedfacts:
Buhari nominated her as that role requires a WRITTEN NOMINATION for aspirants.

Maybe I need to translate it into your native language before it can sink into your cranium.

givedemwotowoto:
Okonjo Iweala is an American citizen. She got the job because of Biden not Buhari.

Yvngex:
Is she representing America over there in WTO? shey you see say you no dey think well again 🤦

fergie001:
Says who?
She is at the WTO today because of politics. No matter how brilliant she is, she can't be DG without the support of her home country. If Buhari said No, she won't be DG of any International Organisation.

Again, Atiku was instrumental in bringing her to Nigeria from the World Bank and then introduced her to OBJ. So, it's listen to them and politely say NO.
It is part of the rules that anybody who must contest must get an endorsement from his/her own country If your President or home Govt doesn't endorse, you fail nomination instantly.