The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for 2019 election, Atiku Abubakar, Friday night affirmed he had picked previous Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi as his running mate. The affirmation was contained in an announcement by the Atiku Presidential Campaign Organization (APCO).

APCO - Atiku Presidential Campaign Organization also gave reasons why Obi was picked, explaining that his choice was largely influenced by his youthfulness, vast knowledge of global and local economics as well as being a financial expert, an experience which it said Nigeria was in need of at this point in time.

The statement by the Director General, Atiku Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCO), Otuba Gbenga Daniels, described Obi as an astute professional who had laid his footprints across the corporate world.

Daniels said Obi, born on 19th July, 1961, attended the Christ the King College, Onitsha and later proceeded to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy.

He said Obi was also a graduate of several international and national institutions such as the Lagos Business School, Harvard Business School, London School of Economics, Columbia Business School, Institute of Management, Switzerland, Kellogg Graduate School, Oxford University and Cambridge University.

He said Obi was the Chairman, Board of Security and Exchange Commission (SEC); former Chairman, Fidelity Bank PLC; former Chairman, Guardian Express Mortgage Bank; former Chairman, Future Views Securities; former Chairman, Paymaster Nigeria; former Chairman, Next International Nigeria; former Director, Guardian Express Bank PLC; former Director, Chams Nigeria PLC; former Director, Emerging Capital: former Director, Card Centre PLC.

Daniel said Obi is a member of the British Institute of Directors (IOD), Nigerian Chartered Institute of Bankers and Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG).