*I Informed Ex-VP Before Defecting
FORMER vice president, Atiku Abubakar, said he is not worried by the defection of his running mate in the 2023 presidential election, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), saying it is undemocratic to begrudge anyone for choosing where to belong politically.
Following his defection, Okowa disclosed that he actually informed Atiku before crossing over to APC.
Speaking on a television programme, the former Delta State governor insisted: “I did communicate with him that we were going to have a stakeholders’ meetings and the outcome was going to determine our next path, because we were no longer comfortable with the PDP.
“I also know that he is already heading out of the PDP, from the communications he has passed on to me and that Nigerians know already.”
But Atiku has dismissed rumours of his dumping PDP soon, insisting he remains committed to the party and has no plans to join another political party.
His media aide, Paul Ibe, said Atiku, as a democrat, subscribes to the universality and constitutionality of the freedom of association, which is one of the pillars of democracy, without which democracy would be meaningless.
On leaving PDP, Ibe said: “We have addressed the issues about coalition, and remember that we had a statement to that effect. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is not leaving the PDP, and he has said that clearly.
“As for those talking about him leaving the PDP, we don’t know where they are getting that from.”
