Both the southern minorities and the southeast Igbos competed for the NRC’s vice-presidential ticket.
Media reports said that Dr. Joe Nwodo from Enugu State was awarded the position amid intense lobbying.
Both Tofa and Dr. Nwodo fought for the NRC ticket in a hotly contested primary in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. When Tofa won, the consensus was that Nwodo ought to deputize him.
According to reporters at the NRC congress, the Nwodo camp had secretly given the media information indicating that he would be the VP candidate after stepping down for Tofa in the second round.
Nonetheless, the party’s national executives worked feverishly to deny media claims that Joe Nwodo had been awarded the vice-presidential position.
There were also hints that Bashir Tofa, the NRC flagbearer’s running mate, might be coming from the southern minorities.
Many NRC delegates agreed that the Igbos, who were traditionally supported by the southern minorities, had always held the position of vice president. Furthermore, the minorities in the south believed that it was their time to sample the apple.
Dr. Joseph Wayas from Cross River, Ime Ebong from Akwa Ibom, and Pere Ajuwa from Rivers were among the southern minority presidential aspirants touted for the position.
After the minorities in the south were eventually schemed out, an Igbo from the southeast was awarded the NRC’s vice-presidential ticket.
Other concerns were brought up by the press release that suggested Nwodo would be appointed, since Alhaji Tofa was questioned about his ability to select the party’s number two, a decision that was still up to the party.
Nwodo’s political influence and wisdom were seen by NRC playmakers as potential sources of controversy and disagreement. Tofa therefore selected Dr. Sylvester Ugoh, a former Minister of Science and Technology his running mate.
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