By Idowu Bankole

Former Imo State governor, Emeka Ihedioha, has been tipped as Atiku Abubakar’s running mate in the 2023 presidential election, a close source has revealed.

When contacted, media aide to the former Imo State governor, AIC Akwarandu, told Vanguard that Emeka Ihedioha’s name is among other names being considered by the former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

He said: “Ihedioha is not Vice President. Atiku is yet to choose. However, his name is among those being tipped for it, which he has been indifferent about.”

Recall that at the just-concluded People’s Democratic Party, PDP’s national convention, Ihedioha was on ground mobilising for Aminu Tambuwal.

Tambuwal became the game-changer when he stepped down and collapsed his followership and structure into Atiku’s, who eventually emerged as the party’s presidential candidate.

Also, a source in the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, revealed to Vanguard that Ihedioha has been favoured among others to be Atiku’s running mate.

He said: “Ihedioha has a very good relationship with Atiku and Tambuwal.

“But he mobilised for Tambuwal during the primary and we all saw what happened when Atiku needed help, Tambuwal came to his rescue.

“As a party, we are looking at zoning the Vice Presidency slot to the South-East given the support of the region in time past to our party.

“And when I look at the track records of Ihedioha, he is the best fit for the role.”

Reports in the media had quoted the Governor of Rivers, Nyesome Wike, at a thanksgiving service, shortly after the PDP convention, as saying: “He stabbed us in the back.”

Wike had narrated how he supported Ihedioha’s ambition to be Governor of Imo state before he was removed after seven months in office.

Wike scored 237 votes losing to Atiku Abubakar, who scored 371 votes at the just-concluded National convention of the PDP, to become the party’s flagbearer for the successive second time after the was defeated by Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 general election.

Ihedioha, a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and former governor of Imo state, was removed from office by a Supreme Court judgement which favoured Hope Uzodimma of the All progressive congress, APC, and has since then remained the leader of the PDP in Imo state.