The race for who will be the running mate of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Atiku has begun in earnest.
Sunday PUNCH reports investigations that showed that prior to the primary on Saturday night, some of the governors of the party from the southern part of the country were working with the former Vice-President with the hope of becoming his running mate.
Those being touted as possible running mates are Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa; his Akwa Ibom State counterpart, Emmanuel; and Wike.
Before his sudden defection from the PDP to the Labour Party, a former governor of Anambra State, Mr Peter Obi, was said to be in the running for the vice-presidential slot.
However, skirmishes by some of the governors from the South-South were said to have frustrated Obi out of the party.
A top source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Atiku and the national leadership of the party would consider many factors before deciding on who would be his running mate. One of the factors was said to be the availability of funds for the campaign.
REPORTERS AT LARGE earlier reported that Atiku won the primary by 371 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, who polled 237 votes, while a former President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, scored 70 votes.
Facts emerged on Saturday night that northern elders were behind his emergence.
