By Nse Anthony-Uko
ABUJA (Sundiata Post) – There are strong indications that former President Olusegun Obasanjo may have blocked the choice of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as running mate to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential flag bearer, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar who is currently on intensive search for a running mate for the 2019 elections.
According to a reliable source close to the main opposition party presidential candidate, Atiku had zeroed in on Okonjo-Iweala amoung other front runners for the position which include former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi; Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State and Chief Gbenga Daniels, who is currently director-general of the Atiku Campaign Organisation.
Sundiata Post learnt that before the Atiku team set out to visit Obasanjo in Abeokuta on Thursday there was a near consensus that the choice of Okonjo-Iweala would be beneficial to the ticket given her global contacts and need to get a competent hand for the economy while Atiku would focus on politics.
However, during the closed door meeting with Obasanjo, the source said the former president objected to the choice of Okonjo-Iweala as vice presidential candidate of the PDP.
Okonjo-Iweala, a former World Bank managing director, was Obasanjo’s Minister of Finance during his second term. She however, resigned in 2006 after she was dropped as finance minister and in a cabinet reshuffle and reassigned Minister of Foreign Affairs while in London negotiating the country’s exit plan from the Bretton Woods Club of Creditors.
When Sundiata Post called Paul Nwabuikwu, Okonjo-Iweala’s media adviser, he said he was not yet aware of any move to nominate the former minister as vice presidential candidate of any party.
