Senator Abba Moro Doubts PDP's Choice of Ifeanyi Okowa as Running Mate for Atiku Abubakar in 2023 Elections
"Electing Okowa as VP Candidate in 2023 was a significant blunder" - Senator within PDP party
Senator Abba Moro, representing Benue South, expressed his belief that the People's Democratic Party (PDP) might have won the 2023 presidential election if another candidate had been chosen as Atiku Abubakar's running mate instead of former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.
On Channels Television's Politics Today, Moro criticized the choice of Okowa, calling it a "serious mistake." He blamed this decision for the PDP's poor performance in Delta State as well as nationally.
"The party potentially would have won the election with a different candidate as vice presidential candidate from the South," Moro said.
Moro's argument stemmed from Okowa's inability to deliver Delta State to the PDP despite his role as a sitting governor and vice presidential candidate.
"With hindsight, some of us think that the PDP would have won the election if other candidates, other than Okowa, had been picked as the vice presidential candidate from the South," Moro added.
Moro also argued that Okowa's recent defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) confirmed his lack of commitment to the PDP.
"Given the election results, it's clear that his soul was not in the PDP election," Moro stated.
Okowa, along with Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, officially joined the APC, citing the need for Delta State to "connect to Abuja" and being in the "best interest" of the people.
Moro slammed Okowa's post-defection remarks, stating, "Instead of apologizing to the party and Nigeria, he's now talking about regretting being on the ticket."
When asked about the potential impact of Atiku Abubakar leaving the PDP, Moro acknowledged it would create a significant vacuum.
Integrating Insights:The PDP's choice of Ifeanyi Okowa as Atiku Abubakar's running mate had significant consequences. Selecting a different candidate might have altered the outcome through three key factors. First, the ticket's northern-southerner pairing failed to address the strong sentiment for power to shift to southern Nigeria. Second, Okowa’s nomination reflected internal PDP compromises rather than broader electoral strategy. Lastly, the PDP's structural disarray likely limited the impact of any running mate choice[4][5].
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- In a contrasting scenario, Senator Abba Moro speculates that the People's Democratic Party (PDP) might have clinched the 2023 presidential election with a different choice for Atiku Abubakar's running mate, rather than Ifeanyi Okowa.
- Moro's dissenting view suggests that a different candidate from the South as vice presidential candidate could have potentially changed the election's outcome.
- Despite serving as a sitting governor and vice presidential candidate, Ifeanyi Okowa failed to deliver Delta State to the PDP, raising doubts about his effectiveness as a running mate.
- In hindsight, some argue that the PDP's electoral strategy may have been more successful with a different vice presidential candidate from the South.
- Okowa's recent defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been met with criticism from within the PDP, with Moro implying that it confirmed a lack of commitment to the party.
- In the aftermath of Okowa's defection, Moro critiques his post-defection remarks, suggesting that an apology to the party and Nigeria would have been more appropriate.
- Okowa, along with Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, cited the need for Delta State to "connect to Abuja" and being in the "best interest" of the people as reasons for their APC switch.
- Reports have emerged of a potential PDP response to the wave of defections, with plans for a strategic meeting in an attempt to address the issue and stem further losses.
