 Welcome back. Now time to launch into a first conversation with the presidential candidate of a People's Democratic Party. In the 2023 elections, Tico Abubakar has announced if Iokowa Davnoff, Delta State, as his running mate. A committee announcement at a meeting attended by the PDP executives are the party's headquarters in Abuja. PDP National Chairman Iochew IU said a 17-member committee had been set up by the party to pick a running mate while saying the party committee had submitted three names to Tico to choose from. At the final decision, however, IU said it was Tico's. Speaking at the announcement event, Tico said they're making the choice between the three names had been a difficult decision, while also noting that some of the qualities he looked out for include someone who understands the enormity of the challenges facing the country and one who has demonstrated from experience that he can proffer solutions. He also said he looked out for one who has the qualities of a president who can stand in for him when he is not around. According to him, he said three names while the three names are submitted and that while they were all fully qualified, he had to settle for one who is Iokowa. Let's listen to what Tico had to say at that announcement. All right, so that was the presentation of documents to Iokowa having being announced as the PDP running mate to the PDP presidential candidate. And of course, he accepted, had to accept that nomination. He was to face a screening committee of the party to formalize his nomination. Well, we'd like to say good morning and welcome to a public affairs analyst and our guest on the program this morning who will be doing justice to this topic. Mohammed Abdul-Aib, Mohammed, good morning to you and thank you very much for your time. Good morning. Thanks for having me. Good morning, Nigeria. Did the People's Democratic Party and did a Tico Aboaka make the right choice in Ifan Iokowa? We told there were three names on the paper, three names on the table. Ifan Iokowa, Governor of Delta State, Iman Lodom, Governor of Aqaibam State, Yeson Wike, Governor of River State. Did Iokowa pick the best choice? Yeah, it's a very challenging question. But I want to say there are three angles to what I feel. It might be my opinion, but I may be wrong and I may be right. One is the fact that in every democracy, popularity and population is very everywhere, whether in Nigeria or America. So I was a bit baffled by the news yesterday with the announcement of Okowa as the only mate of Aqaibam. Don't get me wrong, Okowa is very competent as well, but I'm sorry. It's relatively not known in the politics in Nigeria. In fact, as almost an eight-year governor now, I rarely see him in national news. So it's relatively unknown. That's one. And I feel that might be an advantage to the People's Democratic Party. But again, I think, and this is my opinion, I think why the president, I mean the presidential candidate of PDT picked him is because he's already foreseen what I'm baffled about. He's already foreseen the fact that probably he's becoming the next president. And he wants to clear the hurdle of having a running mate that will give him a lot of trouble if you understand what I mean. And what I mean is that Governor Wike is the most popular candidate on that list. You know, he's well known and he's very vocal. He's traversed this country in terms of even campaigning when he wanted to, when he contested for the Obindic flag bearer of the PDP. So I was a bit shocked when I realized that when I heard the news yesterday that Okowa was picked. And I was surprised because if you understand what I'm saying, I think it is better to have someone who will help the party win the election, rather than you foreseeing what might be the problem when you guys, I mean, when the party becomes a win the election, because you have not done that yet. You need someone who is very popular, who is very vocal, who in fact has the way we thought in terms of finances as well to back the party. I think there's a mystic there is my opinion, like I mentioned. But again, realize that there are challenges and our own democracy is very unique. We realized in 2007, the same people's Democratic Party led by the then former president, Olucia Gomobassonio. From nowhere, even though Peter Odini was the most popular candidate of PDP, who was the then Governor of the University, was the front runner to become the next flag bearer of the party. But from nowhere, the then president, Olucia Gomobassonio, picked a relatively unknown as well Governor in the in the presence of the late former president, Uma Uriaradua, and he won the presidency. In fact, they also picked, the party also picked another relatively unknown state governor, then in Biasa state, the former president, Jonathan, to become his running mate. But mind you, in these two scenarios, then PDP was the ruling party. Now PDP is an opposition party. So they are, even though youth, there are a bit of similarities, but there are differences. So I was shocked by the announcement yesterday of Okuwa. I feel, and I think, Wiki would have been a better and a more popular image. All right. Indeed, you've given a very interesting perspective, both sides. I take a looking at what will happen when he becomes president versus what needs to happen before he becomes president, which is to actually win the election. And some have said this would be the most keenly contested election in Nigeria's history, at least since the return to democracy in 1999. But let's look at some of the qualities, about 12 of them at Tiku had listed as the qualities of a potential vice president that indebt Okuwa to him, then from his decision or choice of Ifan Okuwa. We hear that the governors, we hear that the National Working Committee, whether the party had voted, and all those who had to vote about 17-month committee, they had voted 13-3 in favor of Wiki. That's a wide margin, but I think you're still insisted on picking Okuwa. What do you think this says? No, I think this is still a part of the gimmicks and the running battle that the PDP has been having with the main majority of the governors. You recall even the governor of Heddo State, you know, who was once an APC before the campaign to PDP, and later on accusing Wiki as being like imposing himself as the chairman of the party. Let me use that word. So in terms of character and in terms of relationship, Governor Wiki has had a kind of fictional relationship with his colleagues. And that was what in my opinion, please, played out yesterday. But I think, like I said earlier, the party is making a big mistake, you understand? Because I felt as an opposition party, they should have been able to iron things out and look at the perspective of winning the election. And who is able to, because as an opposition party, the dynamics is quite different from being an incubant party with power. So you must look at all angles and what scenarios will play better. Who and who will be able to help you clinch the winning ticket, rather than, you know, trying to sideline one of your most important and most popular candidates. Remember, this is the very first time that Governor Wiki contested, you know, to become the presidential flag bearer of PDP. And he came not to distance second to Anarchiku, who has, you know, this is like his fourth or fifth time in contesting. So that speaks a whole lot of volume. If the party, you know, understand that, that this man has what it takes. You might not like his character, you might not like his outburst. But to some extent, it seems he's very popular. It seems this is the kind of person probably some form Nigerians are yearning for. So in trying to sideline him, and you look at the clips yesterday, he was not present at the declaration ceremony. What does that tell you? That tells you that there's a bit of acrimony. That tells you that there's a bit of disagreement. And that can cost the party, the winning formula, come the general election. In my opinion, I think the party is wrong. So what does it say? What do you think would be the effect on the party moving forward, that of those who were given the responsibility, the responsibility to vote for who should be recommended to Attiku as his running mate? It was an overwhelming, according to reports, vote in favour of WIKE. We hear it was 13 in support of WIKE, 3 in support of WIKE. Yet Attiku went against that. What do you think the implications of this would be for the PDP moving forward? Is it that the party is not going to be divided? This is the beginning of an implosion of the party or something like that? Yeah, it's very possible. It's very possible. Like I mentioned earlier, WIKE was not there. So that tells you there's an acrimony, there's a disagreement in the party as a position party going into all important general elections. We don't want to have that kind of acrimony. We don't want to have your house divided because it makes you weaker and gives more advantage to the already powerful incumbent party. The incumbent party is already powerful because of our system here. So as an opposition party, if your house is already divided, that is a big, big problem. Like you mentioned, it might divide the party. Again, they might face a very daunting challenge going into the general election, which the party do not want to face at the moment. At the temperament and the perception of both individuals, so Kowa and WIKE, let's not forget that Mahmoud Udom was somewhere in the conversation. He was there at that event while WIKE wasn't, like he rightly said. Attico says that he made it very clear to the National Working Committee of the PDP, the Board of Trustees of the PDP and other leaders as he sought the input and wisdom in consultations that his running mate would need to have the potential to succeed him at a moment's notice. That he, whoever it would be as vice president or his running mate, would be president in waiting. That's even though you're vice president, you're still president in waiting, and you need to have the ability to succeed him at a moment's notice. He says in other words, the person must have the qualities to be president. You must be presidential. The person must have an appreciation of the deep rot which our country has been put into by the rudderless APC government. He talked about the fact that the people must have a little or no drama, whilst it's important to have buzz as part of a campaign, excitement, but there is no room for drama. Nigerians are looking for someone who is serious because of the serious issues that are facing the country today. But do you think Wike's dramatic style and his charismatic posture, his outspoken nature on various issues, even as far as going after his opponents like Atiku and even his fellow governors, calling them names and what happened between himself and the Adostei governor of Basaki and Co. Do you think that this worked against him? Yes, I quite agree. But let me take us back to between 1999 and 2007, when he himself, Atiku Abu Bakar, was the vice president to Olishan ambassador. You remember there are so many scenarios of acrimony between them. In fact, it got so heated that the president almost got him impeached, you know, but for his doggedness as well. So I felt Atiku should have had a lot of experience. He himself exhibited no loyalty then to his to his boss, you understand? So he is the same thing he's scared of. It's the same thing he's afraid of, that Governor Wike would be a big challenge to him, you know, while in office. But, you know, you always get, you always cross the bridge when you get to that same bridge. We don't just make projections when you are at one, then you are making projections at when you get, you know, how to overcome 10 when you have not even overcome one. That's why I said in your first question, I said they are already looking at if we win, we are already in office. We think Governor Wike will be so dramatic, we think it will be challenging, controlling him in terms of loyalty and so on. But no, you have not won, you are yet to win the election. And winning the election is the most important thing first that will now lead to you talking about your Vice President being loyal. So I felt, yeah, like you mentioned, Governor Wike's outburst, his characters, his relationship with his colleagues is not a smooth one. But there should be like, maybe, I mean, the National Working Committee of the PDP or even the high echelons of the PDP that will sit him down, you know, as a governor and as a member of the party who has pledged to be part of the party, even though he lost out in the presidential primaries to say he will be part of the party, then sit him down and then talk to him, explain things to him and how they can work together harmoniously to click the ticket. Because the most important thing at the moment is for the opposition party to get the ticket. All other things are secondary. But what the party is doing at the moment is placing the secondary challenges as the primary challenge, which I think for me is absurd. All right, let's look at the qualities of Okoa and what he brings to as far as you can send to the campaign. We'll start with some of the, you know, talk that hasn't gone around Chata. Emmanuel O'Doagan has been trending throughout yesterday, even till this morning, O'Doagan is still trending. A lot of people who are from Delta State or who know about Delta State, most of them are, it's been a divided opinion, let's say that, between the supporters of Okoa who feel he has done well and those who feel that Okoa killed the gains that Delta State made under Ibori and under O'Doagan. I will read one of those tweets. This one says, Okoa killed the scholarships board. This is from Maurice Moye on Twitter. It says, Okoa killed the scholarships board in Delta State during O'Doagan. All first-class graduates got five million era cash for postgraduate studies. I know a boy that cashed that money, gave his family two million era and used the rest to travel out for studies. A number of people talked about the death of the scholarship scheme. Someone who goes by the name of cross-media hope says, my friend was a benefactor of that scheme for first-class deltans in Nigeria, in O'Doagan's last year in office as governor in Mano O'Doagan. He personally handed them their checks of five million era and told them, I'm not sure my successor will carry on with this. Several of reports talking about how Okoa has not been able to keep up with infrastructure development and all that. Are you aware of his performance as governor of Delta State and do you think that he's the requisite experience, like I think he talked about some of the things that the vice president should possess to bring to the table as running mate? It's a bit confusing because like I mentioned earlier, someone who I see more as a very silent governor. He's not really in the national conversations. I take my time a lot to watch national news in Nigeria with the newspapers, but he's someone who is not very outspoken, who is not very, yeah, out there, who is not very visible. Even though I know there are one or two programs that talk about his achievement and what he's doing for the youth, particularly, I must confess, I've seen one or two videos, programs and articles talking about how he's developing the youth in Delta. I've never been to Delta myself, but I've seen on national TVs and read on the pages of newspapers some of the programs that he's been carrying out for youth in Delta. But having said that, I think for me, he's not popular. He's not one that traverses our nation. He's not a name that you mentioned probably, say, in Sokoto or even Oshun. Even in Lagos, popularly, and you say governor, if I'm your coa, people like, what are you talking about, you know? But a lot of competence. Definitely, if you are a governor in Nigeria, particularly for a state like Delta, which is one of our rich oil states, definitely, you are even good to be our president. So I can't discount his competence, his ability personally and what he has done for his people. But I'm just scared that he's not that popular for what he's been called for. But definitely, he's competent, competent to take up the mantle. All right. Finally, you've talked about his popularity and the popularity of Yes and Wike is a national appeal, an ability to who votes to the PDP. Some people have said that Ocoa being a native Delta can secure the South-South for the PDP again. Being also a Delta Ebo native, he can also secure the Southeast for the PDP, despite pictures of these emergence and the surge of support for him. Reminding us that his name is Ifain to start with. Do you think this holds true? That's for what you've said. Yeah, I doubt it. I doubt it very much. You know, the Southeast, one of the big challenge there, even though they are clamoring to be presidents, to produce the president of Nigeria, in fact, they are so divided. They are so divided. In the same Southeast, you have the PDP, you have APC, you have ABGA, and so many of the stalwarts from that region belong to these three political parties. So it's very challenging for everyone to outrightly convince their citizens and the people over there to vote a mass and block for one party. You realize in so many of our elections in the past, the votes over there are always divided. Yeah, the PDP holds a lot and then ABGA, but with people like Roachas and all others in APC and even some governors. In APC, like Emo State from the Southeast, it's gradually becoming very challenging for presidential candidates from that region or from any region to pull and block votes from that region. So it's going to be challenging. It's very possible, but it's going to be very challenging and we all pray to leave to see how that unfolds in the common general elections. All right. It's geared up to be a very interesting campaign period for nine months to election proper. Mohamed Abdelight has been through having you. Thank you for joining us with your expert analysis. Well, the English Premier League is around the corner. All the teams and the players are on break, but the EPL has released fixtures. I'll be back after this short break to discuss this with our guest analysts. Stay with us.