Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung has confirmed that he received President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's approval to run in the 2024 Jakarta Gubernatorial Election.
"Of course, I consulted with the President. I met with him in person and also called him directly. We sat together and talked after he returned from Lampung," Pramono told reporters at his residence in Cipete, South Jakarta, on Wednesday.
Pramono also shared that Jokowi laughed heartily when he informed him of his decision to run for governor after being endorsed by PDI-P Chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri.
"He laughed out loud and said, 'Go ahead and run'," Pramono recounted.
Jokowi said that this mandate was special, as not everyone gets the opportunity to run for governor.
In addition to seeking permission from President Jokowi, Pramono also consulted with his wife, Ani Pramono. He revealed that his wife had to cancel a trip to a friend's wedding in Italy to accompany him to the Jakarta Regional Election Commission (KPUD) registration today.
PDI-P has selected lawmaker and veteran actor Rano Karno as Pramono's running mate.
Pramono will face competition from the Ridwan Kamil and Suswono ticket, which has strong backing from a broad coalition, including Gerindra, Golkar, PKS, Nasdem, PKB, PSI, PAN, Demokrat, Garuda, Gelora, Perindo, and PPP.