The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has reacted to the emergence of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State as the running mate of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar.
Applesbite had reported that the former Vice President had announced Okowa as his running mate for the 2023 general elections.
Atiku revealed that he chose Okowa because he has the qualities to be the President and has an appreciation of the deep rot in which the country has been put into.
In a statement on Monday by its spokesperson, Abdulazeez Suleiman, the CNG said that the choice of Okowa as Atiku’s running mate is the wrong one, stating that the governor cannot win the 2023 presidential election for the PDP.
Suleiman stated that the Delta governor does not pass for a young Nigerian, noting that there must be youths’ inclusion for democracy to flourish in the country.
He claimed that the PDP and the All Progressives Congress (APC) systematically schemed younger aspirants out of their presidential tickets.
Speaking further, the CNG spokesman slammed the APC for choosing Kabiru Masari as the running mate to its presidential flagbearer, Bola Tinubu.
He said a young accountant and businessman, Dr Ibrahim Bello-Dauda, who is from Gora Town, Shani Local Government Area, Borno State would be the best running mate to Tinubu.
“For democracy to flourish and have meaning, there must be demographic inclusion. The two major political parties systematically schemed younger aspirants out of their presidential tickets.
“In order to complement the yearnings of the younger generation of Nigerians, the parties were expected to pick young people as running mates for their respective presidential candidates.
“The running mate selected by the Peoples Democratic Party is relatively not within the bracket of the young generation. Now eyes are now on the APC to compliment the (Bola) Tinubu-ticket with young people.
“As Vice Presidential candidate to Bola Tinubu, such young energetic men as Dr Ibrahim Dauda, remain the only viable alternative that can guarantee victory for the APC.
“And since Tinubu is more in favour of the North-East, Dauda, who just clocked 50, so far, stands out as the only representative of the young generation among all the other hopefuls from that zone.
“It added that such young men with great potential, impeccable pedigree, proven integrity, honesty and experience are what the APC needs on the Asiwaju ticket.
“Popular young aspiring personalities like Dauda shall be the ones to be considered in order to bridge the widening generation gap,” Suleiman said.
