Imo Governor Hope Uzodinma has said the decision to choose a running mate lies with the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, for the 2023 general election and not with governors.
He made this known to State House Correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari over his planned state visit to commission some projects executed by his administration.
According to him, the ruling party, having held a successful convention that led to the emergence of Tinubu as the party’s flag bearer, contrary to the expectations of some people in some quarters, the choice of a running mate will take into consideration all the indices that will promote fairness and unity of the country.
On the insinuations that the APC was planning to feature a Muslim-Muslim ticket, the Imo governor said, there is nowhere in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria where religion is a factor or characteristic as to who becomes the President or who becomes the running mate.
On if he would like to see a governor as a running mate to Tinubu, Uzodinma, “Why not? Ahmed Tinubu, have you forgotten he was a governor for eight years? If he chooses a governor so be it, we will support it.
For now, we are no longer talking about who becomes running mate and who is not running mate. I have told you whose decision it is.
The next thing as party leaders now and opinion leaders is for us to rise up, mobilise the quality and get members of our party to commit to a successful election by 2023.
So that our president that is leaving will also be handing over to our own president of APC, that is our preoccupation now how to win the election.”
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