2019: Atiku Visits Ekweremadu, Explains Choice Of Obi As PDP Begins Peace Shuttle

Posted by Odinaka on Wed 28th Nov, 2018 - tori.ng

The perceived rancour between Atiku Abubakar and some chieftains of the party in the South-East appears to be over as the leadership of the party has embarked on a peace shuttle to reconcile the groups.

Abubakar Atiku and Ike Ekweremadu

The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, on Monday, played host to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who visited him to seek his understanding over the choice of Peter Obi as his running mate ahead of the 2019 general election.

According to PUNCH Metro, the visit was meant to appease Ekweremadu, who had hoped that he would be the natural choice for the position.

It was gathered that Atiku and his entourage asked for Ekweremadu’s support and explained to him that Obi was picked in the interest of the zone in particular and the nation in general.

While speaking to a correspondent, a source said, “He was told that Obi does not have any corruption case against him and that he does not belong to any faction of the party.

“He was also told that Obi’s emergence has further raised the acceptability level of the PDP across the country.”

On the entourage of Atiku were the Director General of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council, who is also the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki; National Chairman of the party, Uche Secondus; and the National Organising Secretary of the party, Col. Austin Akobundu (retd.).

Meanwhile, the party has scheduled its National Executive Committee meeting for Thursday in Abuja. The meeting would approve the full composition of the council and also vet its budget for the campaigns.

Secondus confirmed the inauguration of the campaign council to our correspondent on the telephone. “Yes, we are meeting on Thursday and the campaign will be inaugurated same day,” he said.