Members of the APC Northern States’ Governors Forum earlier paid a courtesy visit to Tinubu in Asokoro, Abuja. Although details of the closed-door meeting were sketchy, Saturday PUNCH gathered that it might not be unconnected with talks around the running mate and the likelihood of Nigerians rejecting a Muslim-Muslim ticket.
The spokesman for the Tinubu Campaign Organisation, Mr Bayo Onanuga, however, told journalists that the candidate already had an arrangement with the Progressives Governors’ Forum to decide his running mate if he emerged as the candidate.
“The vice-president can come from any region and religion, but the PGF is at liberty to pick. The party will look at the chances and decide how it will balance a Muslim from the South, maybe with somebody that comes from the North-East, North-Central or the North-West. That is how it is done. I cannot circumvent the party. The Bagudu-led PGF has the task to pick a competent deputy for him,” Onanuga stated.
PDP intensifies search for Atiku’s running mate
In a related development, there are indications that the PDP is intensifying its search for a running mate for Atiku. The governors being touted for the role are Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State and Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State.
There are also indications that the party has set up a committee comprising the PDP governors, National Working Committee members, former governors and Board of Trustees members with the mandate to pick its vice-presidential candidate.