The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has begun shopping for his running mate.
Naija News reports that Atiku won his party’s presidential ticket on Wednesday, a result disputed by his fellow contestants, Rotimi Amaechi and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen.
In his acceptance speech, Atiku called on the two men to join him in rescuing the country from the grip of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
However, a report by Leadership has revealed that Atiku is not considering both men as his running mate.
Sources close to the presidential candidate and top party members are said to prefer that his running mate come from the South-East, which is considered his natural political ally and strategically important ahead of the 2027 general election.
The running mate position was reportedly reserved for former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, before he resigned from the party and joined the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
It was gathered that former Imo State governor and former deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, is being tipped for the role of Atiku’s running mate.
Unlike many South-East politicians who left the ADC for the NDC alongside Obi, Ihedioha remained in the party and reportedly played a key role in mobilising support for Atiku during the presidential primary.
“He actually played a major role in ensuring that the region was delivered for the former vice president in the just-concluded presidential primary of the party,” a senior party source told the aforementioned publication.
