Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, Ortom said the presidential candidate of the party, Atiku Abubakar submitted three names from which a panel will select his running mate.
Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom has said his Rivers State counterpart, Nyesom Wike was the preferred vice-presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, Ortom said the presidential candidate of the party, Atiku Abubakar submitted three names from which a panel will select his running mate.
They are Governor Nyesom Wike (Rivers State), Governor Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta State) and Governor Emmanuel Udom (Akwa Ibom State).
According to Ortom, 14 out of 17 members of a committee set up by the party to guide the presidential candidate had preferred Wike.
“Three of them were qualified but Governor Wike was eminently qualified.
“We said that for the PDP to win, we needed Governor Wike.
“Yes, Wike may have his own weak points, but to some people, those were his strong points in this life.”
He argued that Atiku should have consulted with Wike before announcing Okowa as his running mate.
“The candidate who won the primary has the final say, I have no problem with that.
“But I think that moving forward Wike would have been reached out to. Even some of us who were supporting Wike, we would have been told.”