On Tuesday, the PDP National Chairman said Atiku’s running mate would be unveiled in the next 48 hours.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says it will on Thursday, June 16, 2022, announce the running mate to its presidential candidate, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.

Iyiochia Ayu, the party’s National Chairman disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja before the commencement of the meeting of a committee set up to determine the party’s vice-presidential candidate.

The committee members include representatives of the National Working Committee and the Board of Trustees members as well as former governors.

According to Punch, those lobbying for the VP slot include the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, and his Delta State counterpart, Ifeanyi Okowa.

However, during the committee’s meeting on Tuesday, Ayu said the running mate would be unveiled in the next 48 hours.

He said, “The presidential candidate of our party would have been here, but this morning he suddenly dashed somewhere. He apologised and if he comes early, he will join us. But we will go ahead with the assignment he has given us.

“The candidate wrote to us, as the administrative arm of the party, on the choice of his running mate.

“Various organs of the party are well represented in his committee — NWC, Governors Forum, National Assembly, former governors which have put forward their candidate

“This deliberation will be chaired by my able Deputy, Ambassador Umaru Damagum

“I wish you a successful deliberation and I hope you come up with a conclusion between tomorrow and Friday.

“Our presidential candidate, this time, has decided to carry everybody along unlike 2019 when he didn’t consult widely in his choice of running mate.

The meeting was attended by Governors Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State; Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State; Samuel Ortom of Benue State; former Senate President, David Mark; former Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko; former Cross River State Governor, Liyel Imoke, and Senator Philip Aduda.