Former Head of State and presidential candidate under the platform of All Nigeria Peoples� Party (ANPP), Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) has picked ANPP chairman, Chief Edwin Ume-Ezeoke as his running mate for next year�s presidential elections. Buhari�s choice was submitted to the Independent National Electoral Com-mission (INEC) few hours ahead of INEC�s deadline for submission of names of running mate by political parties. As at 12:30am today, only ANPP, Action Congress (AC) and Democratic People�s Party (DPP) were seen at INEC�s office trying to beat the deadline.
Ezeoke was named after an offer for the slot was allegedly turned down by Senate President, Ken Nnamani. While Buhari, who was the ANPP flag-bearer in 2003 polls, hails from Katsina State, Ezeoke, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, hails from Anambra State.
Buhari was picked last week by the ANPP after a consensus nod by the party, a move geared to give Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential flag-bearer, Governor Umaru Musa Yar�Adua, and the PDP machinery a serious fight for elections next year. Buhari was Nigeria�s head of state between 1982 and 1985, and since the emergence of democracy, especially in 2003, he has remained a political force to reckon with.