There are indications that ahead of a meeting of the G-5 governors in London, the five Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors are caught between the choices of either supporting the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu or his Labour Party counterpart, Peter Obi, in the 2023 presidential poll.
The PDP governor’s limited their choice to Tinubu and Obi following their resolve to back a southern presidential candidate.
The move has effectively reduced the prospect of a reconciliation between the governors and their party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar of the PDP.
The G-5 governors led by Nyesom Wike of Rivers State include Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Seyi Makinde (Oyo) and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu).
They had travelled to London in continuation of their series of meetings abroad to decide on which candidate to support.
Wike who had enjoyed closer rapport with APC chieftains since he fell out with the PDP national leadership had last week declared that he would reveal the candidate he would support in January 2023.
While Ikpeazu and Ugwuanyi are less visible, Ortom had recently endorsed Obi, even as Makinde hinted of his support for Tinubu recently.
The five governors alongside some PDP leaders had distanced themselves from the PDP presidential campaign, insisting that the national chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, a northerner, should relinquish his seat for a southerner as part of the power-balancing deal in the party.
But speaking with LEADERSHIP yesterday on the purpose of the London meeting, a key insider in Wike’s camp and former member of the House of Representatives, Ogbonna Nwuke, revealed that the governors would be focusing on Tinubu and Obi during their meeting.
Nwuke told our correspondent in Port Harcourt that the five governors would decide on who to support between the APC presidential candidate and his Labour Party (LP) counterpart.
He however said they are not aware that Tinubu would meet with five governors in London.
Nwuke said, “We are not aware of a meeting between them and Tinubu this time in London.
“But, I am aware that the meeting they are still holding in the United Kingdom has something to do with a decision of whether to support Tinubu or Obi. That one is correct but if Tinubu has flown into London, we are unaware of that.”
We’re Challenging Wike’s Executive Orders In Court – APC
However, a former Rivers State commissioner told some reporters in Abuja yesterday that the G5 governors are focused on ensuring power shift to the South.
The former commissioner who pleaded not to be named stated that three out of the five governors are in support of the LP presidential candidate, while two others who are candidates in the forthcoming elections are still weighing their options.
The commissioner stated: “Presidential contest is like a beauty contest where only the registered participants are considered. The G5 governors agree that Obi is not a saint, but comes with fresher characteristics than the other candidates.
“In the first place, it was these contrasting qualities that attracted the mass following among major electoral demography, the youths, across the length and breadth of the country.
“So, I can tell you authoritatively that the three governors in support of Obi are contending that although APC has spread, it will be disastrous and suicidal if they support Tinubu against majority of their people who are for Obi.
“The three governors are therefore mindful of Electoral Act 2022 and the enormous powers and independence it has given to the electorate.”
On Wike’s position, the former commissioner said, “Wike is not entirely against Asiwaju, but is deeply concerned about how his political traducers in the state would react if he slips.”
Confirming the development, a founding All Progressives Congress (APC) member and director general of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Osita Okechukwu, said the consensus on power rotation among the members of the G5 governors aligns with the stance of their 19 northern APC counterparts, which led to the emergence of Tinubu as APC presidential candidate.
He added that the G-5 consensus on rotation of presidency to the South has effectively ruled out the PDP presidential candidate.
Okechukwu noted that it is left for the group to decide between the two front runners from South, Tinubu and Obi.
“This latest London conference by the G5 governors led by Nyesom Wike comes as the defining moment for them to take a decisive stand that would guide their followers. It also sounds the death knell for any possible reconciliation within PDP,” he stated.
But reacting to the unfolding scenario, spokesperson of the Atiku/Okowa campaign council, Kola Ologbondiyan, dismissed Okechukwu’s notion, noting that the G5 governors are yet to make a declaration on whom they will support.
He said, “The G-5 governors have not spoken so he (Okechukwu) is an interloper in PDP’s affair.”
On whether the decision will affect Atiku’s chances, Ologbondiyan said, “Like we said in our statement yesterday, Atiku will win on first ballot and the factors are very clear for why that will happen.
“I repeat, Atiku enjoys the solidarity and support of a greater majority of Nigerians who are not captured in the indices relied upon by many of the pollsters in their projections on the 2023 Presidential election.
“The massive traditional voters of the PDP across the polling units, wards, local governments, states and the six geo-political zones are not distracted in their steadfastness to rescue Nigeria from the misrule of the All Progressives Congress (APC) by voting enmasse for Atiku.
“Also, the massive traditional voters are unrelenting in mobilizing the non-partisan voters as well as the undecided across the country to vote for the PDP Presidential Candidate.
“Our campaign is unfazed knowing that the majority of Nigerians across the nation are in consensus to elect Atiku as the next President of our country, particularly, given his proven capacity, competence, political will and national acceptability to provide leadership at this critical time of our national history”.
LEADERSHIP recalls that the five governors earlier this year met with Atiku in London in a bid to reconcile their differences.
The governors also met with Obi in the company of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, a key supporter of Obi’s presidential ambition.
LP Expresses Confidence 5-G Governors Will Support Obi
Meanwhile, the Obi-Datti presidential campaign council has said that the PDP 5-G governors will support them.
According to the campaign council, Peter Obi is the most qualified candidate, adding that he possesses all the qualities the 5-G governors are looking for.
Speaking with LEADERSHIP last night, the spokesman of the Obi-Datti presidential campaign council, Dr Yunusa Tanko, expressed confidence their presidential candidate will get the endorsement of the 5-G governors.
“We are hopeful he will be adopted. The pendulum has shown something similar. When we visited Oyo, Rivers, and Benue, the atmosphere was good. We are hopeful the other governors will support us also,” Tanko said, adding that even if they did not get the public support of the governors, it won’t stop them from reaching out to Nigerians.
He continued: “Nothing is stopping us from continuing to mobilise. Nigerians are the people we are mobilising. What we are doing is what is attracting people to us. The youths are with us. The campaign is not for the DG alone.
“Nigerians should understand what is going on in the Education sector and non-payment of salary. Nigerians should not forget the fact that our children have been home without going to school; people cannot go to school. Just recently, N8 billion was missing from the CBN.
“We must come together and support this gentleman, Peter Obi, for a better Nigerian”.
