Peter Obi denies rumours Atiku has picked him as his running mate for next year's elections

FORMER Anambra State governor Peter Obi has dismissed claims that ex-vice president Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has picked him as his running mate for next year's presidential elections saying that the rumours are mere speculation.

In February 2019, Nigeria will be holding elections, with Alhaji Atiku being the front runner to challenge President Muhammadu Buhari. Later this year, Alhaji Atiku is expected to emerge as the presidential candidate of the main opposition the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and guarantee a close two-horse race.

It has been rumoured that he has picked Governor Obi, who governed Anambra State for eight years as his running mate. Initially elected on the platform of the All Grand Peoples Alliance, Governor Obi has since left the party after ending his tenure on March 17, 2014 and is seen as a PDP vice president in waiting.

Val Obienyem, Governor Obi's spokesman, however, dissociated his boss from the story, describing it as  mere speculation. He enjoined the public to disregard the story while calling on the media to always verify their stories before publication.

Mr Obienyem said: “When I read the story in the papers and on social media, knowing full well that no presidential candidate has discussed such issue with him, I exclaimed and asked who is the author of this mischief? I immediately brought the news to the attention of my boss who is rounding off his engagements in the UK and the US.

“He was equally surprised that such speculation should be on at this time when the pre-occupation of all Nigerians should be how to end the killings in parts of the country and return the country back to sanity.” Describing the story as the figment of the imagination of the writers, Governor Obi  said the preoccupation of the PDP  now is rebranding and producing a formidable presidential standard bearer and  not who will be his running mate.