Atiku’s Camp Slams Okowa Over Comment On 2023 Presidential Election

Sources have claimed that former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, feels betrayed over the defection of his running mate in the 2023 presidential election, Ifeanyi Okowa.

Insiders within Atiku’s inner circle and within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) told Daily Sun that he feels betrayed over comments that Okowa recently made on live television where he expressed regret over his decision to run as a vice presidential candidate.

Okowa, had during an interview on national TV, expressed regret that he accepted to run as vice presidential candidate alongside Atiku in the 2023 elections.

He claimed that while campaigning, he noticed that people were not interested in handing over the seat of power to another northerner.

Speaking to the aforementioned publication, a source stated that Atiku himself was horrified at Okowa’s statement, especially considering that the former vice president had resisted significant pressure to pick the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, as his running mate, opting instead for Okowa.

Atiku’s camp believes Okowa is disguising what they describe as ‘a self-serving political move’ as patriotism and said he is undermining Atiku and the PDP to help the APC ahead of the 2027 elections, despite having benefited greatly from the PDP in the past.

The source said, “People are totally displeased with what happened. We all agree to the fact that Damagun didn’t manage the party well and has weakened it so much that anybody can fall by the wayside because they would not have confidence. Secondly, no matter how Okowa feels, he didn’t need to go out on national television to imply that he regrets being the running mate of the party’s candidate. What he did and said is self-destructive. One of the lessons I have learned in life is that there are some things that would happen to you, but you cannot go out and start saying such things. If you do, you would be permanently irresponsible.

“We are very concerned about him because we feel that no matter the pressure he came under, he should have been able to moderate himself. He is not the type that talks anyhow; you cannot now sit in an arena where you just make careless statements. If you want to defect, do so. Don’t go running down the platform or the candidate.” 

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