The Peoples Democratic Party’s, PDP, vice presidential candidate Ifeanyi Okowa has received the endorsement of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
On Wednesday evening, Jonathan addressed Okowa as Nigeria’s incoming vice-president during a meeting with certain PDP members.
Party leaders, including Bala Mohammed, the governor of Bauchi state, were present during the meeting.
“Our incoming vice-president — he has served two tenures as a governor,” Jonathan told Okowa as he held his hand.
The former president also wished those contesting for various positions in the 2023 elections “more success”. In the run-up to the 2023 presidential election, this is Jonathan’s first public endorsement of a vice presidential contender.
Given that they are both running on the same ticket, Jonathan’s endorsement for Okowa suggests that he is also endorsing PDP presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar.
Jonathan has not been a major participant in PDP events since he was unsuccessful in running for re-election in 2015, despite widespread rumors that he left the party and joined the APC (APC).
There were rumors that APC stakeholders favoured Jonathan to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari during the run-up to the APC presidential primaries in June.
Meanwhile, amid calls for him to contest the presidency, he had simply told his supporters to “watch out”.
However, he refused to take part in any party’s presidential primary and disavowed any involvement with a northern coalition that had paid for his APC presidential candidacy form.