2023 presidential elections: Tinubu, not APC Governors will determine running mate — Uzodimma 

The Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma has maintained that the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has the sole responsibility to choose his running mate as opposed to the insinuated belief that governors should be.

In a chat with the State House Correspondent yesterday (Tuesday) after the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governors met with president Muhammadu Buhari, Uzodinma said Tinubu would choose a running mate that would help unite, promote peace amongst the citizens and do what was best for the country.

Reacting to the speculations of the possibility of the Tinubu picking a Northern Muslim as running mate for the All Progressive Congress (APC), Uzodinma said that the former Lagos Governor would choose a competent candidate that would be acceptable nationwide and could help win elections.

As concerns over the past few days continue to persistent in the country over the Muslim/Muslim presidential ticket, which many see as an unfair move considering the religious status of the country, he said that religion or geopolitical zoning as a compulsory decision for the running mate of Tinubu should not be a determinant factor ahead of 2023 elections but rather a person who has the ability deliver to Nigerians has to be chosen.

He, however, noted that the choice of the running mate would be decided by the party’s Presidential candidate after important factors come into play.

“We are looking for a united Nigeria, where governance will be the issue, where a president would be judged by his capacity to deliver democratic dividends, and develop Nigeria to look like other parts of the Western world where democracy is working.

“I don’t want us to reduce governance in Nigeria to certain things that will encourage divisiveness, rather, we should be a united Nigeria, be our brother’s keepers, have a president of Nigeria that will be a president representing every tribe, every religion, every denomination. And when we get there, we will cross the bridge.

“The decision also to choose a running mate does not reside with any of us the governors. It is the presidential candidate that will look at the local characteristics and every factor, political and apolitical that will make him win his election and take the decision. So it’s not a decision that we will sit here and take for the candidate.”

Uzodimma asserted that the political strength of the running mate is also very important to be able to attract votes.

“Spread is very important to be able to attract votes. So the decision of who becomes your running mate, if I were the candidate, what will inform it is what will I do as an action that will enable me to get the kind of votes I’m looking for because the ultimate goal is to win the election,” he said.

“So maybe I’ll start from the nomination, ethnicity, or followership. In this business of democracy I think numbers are what is very important. And there are certain things as a nation, we should not bring to the public discourse, those things that are capable of creating divisiveness against national unity should not be encouraged.

“It does not mean that I will not remember that I come from a place but I must also be cautious and careful how to use where I come from in taking national decisions. That is very important.”

In addition, Uzodinma urged the APC Governors to  support any member of the party chosen as Tinubu running mate. The Governor also said he would like to see a governor as a running mate to Tinubu.

“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 a running mate and who is not a 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, mobilize 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 on how to win the election.”