Sociopolitical activist Reno Omokri has asserted that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) made a significant error during the 2023 presidential election by not nominating the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, as the vice presidential candidate. According to Omokri, having Wike as the vice presidential candidate would have secured victory for the PDP in Oyo, Abia, Rivers, Enugu, and Benue states.
Reflecting on the election outcome where President Bola Tinubu emerged victorious over PDP’s Atiku Abubakar and the Labour Party’s Peter Obi, Omokri expressed his viewpoint on the mistake made by the PDP. He noted that the margin of loss to the APC was less than two million votes. Omokri contended that with Wike as the running mate, the PDP could have collectively gained enough votes from Rivers, Oyo, Abia, Enugu, and Benue, especially with the support of the G-5.
In his social media post, Omokri stated, “In politics, you do not do what you like to do. You do what you have to do.” He acknowledged that, under normal circumstances, someone with Wike’s alpha personality might be too assertive to be a follower, but he argued that, given the circumstances, it would have been a strategic move for the PDP.