Amaechi agrees to sheath his sword and stand as Atiku's running mate in next year's polls

FORMER Rivers State governor and one-time aviation minister Rotimi Amaechi has apparently agreed to stand as the running mate to former vice president Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in next year's presidential elections.

Next year, Nigeria goes to the polls to elect a new president  and most of the candidates who ran in 2023 are expected to stand again. President Bola Tinubu has been adopted as the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), while Alhaji Abubakar has been nominated to fly the flag of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Two other presidential 2023 candidates, the former governors of Anambra and Kano states Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, are seen as a formidable team after they teamed up to take over the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC). It is believed that Governor Obi would stand as its presidential candidate, with Senator Kwankwaso picked as his running mate, in what would be a very formidable partnership.

Now, the line-up is proving to be very formidable with Alhaji Abubakar picking Mr Amaechi as his running mate. With President Tinubu almost certain to retain vice president Kashim Shettima as his running mate, Nigeria is looking at another three horse race -Tinubu/Shettima, Atiku/Amaechi, Obi/Kwankwaso.

Leader Sampson, the immediate past chairman of ADC in Rivers State, confirmed the latest development, pointing out that Mr Amaechi had accepted the offer from Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. Mr Amaechi, contested for the ADC presidential primary elections but lost and vehemently rejected the results, alleging rigging.

After the election, he declared that he did not buy the ADC presidential form to later become vice president. However, it appears that he has now been finally persuaded to sheath his sword and join hands with Atiku as elections loom.