The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 elections, Atiku Abubakar, has announced Ifeanyi Okowa as his running mate.

Atiku made the announcement at a meeting attended by PDP executives at the party’s headquarters in Abuja.

PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, said a 17-member committee had been set up by the party to pick a running mate.

He said the committee had submitted three names to Atiku to choose from.

The final decision however, Ayu said, was Atiku’s.

Speaking at the announcement event, Atiku said making a choice between the three names had been a difficult decision.

He also noted that some of the qualities he looked out for include someone who understands the enormity of the challenges facing the country and one who has demonstrated, from experience, that he can proffer some solutions.

He said he looked out for one who has the qualities of a president, who can stand in for him when he’s not around.

According to him, while all the three names submitted were qualified, he had to settle for just one: Okowa.

‘Congratulations’

Okowa had arrived the PDP headquarters in a celebratory mood.

Some party members welcomed him into the building with the words ‘congratulations’.