The five aggrieved governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) otherwise known as G-5, led by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and some other party chieftains, on Sunday, announced the formation of the Integrity Group within the opposition party.
Other governors in the group are Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State and Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State.
The governors and some aggrieved party members are currently having a strategic meeting in Lagos, which may not be unconnected to the agitation for the removal of the PDP national chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu.
Addressing journalists before going into a closed-door meeting, Governor Makinde said the Integrity Group remained the face behind the struggle within the PDP.
Makinde said, “We are here this morning to hold a meeting of the Integrity Group within our party, the PDP. We have been of the G5 – that is, the five PDP governors. The G5 is all about the Integrity Group.
“You can see us, five serving governors, as the face of this struggle, both the leaders and elders of the party that you see here are the people behind those faces.
“We are in the South-West to review the situation within our party, to review where we are and to also look at what is going to happen in the coming elections,” he said.
The Oyo State governor noted that at the end of the deliberations, the group would fully brief the press on their stand on all the burning issues within the main opposition party.
“On behalf of our leaders and elders in the South-West, I want to welcome members of the Integrity Group and wish us well,” he said.
It will be recalled that the Wike-led G-5 has been clamouring for the resignation of the Dr. Ayu, since after the party presidential ticket was won by Atiku Abubakar.
LEADERSHIP reports that other PDP leaders at the Lagos meeting include former governors; Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo State), Ayo Fayose (Ekiti), Donald Duke (Cross River), Jonah Jang (Plateau), a former deputy national chairman of the PDP (South, Chief Olabode George, and former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke.
Also in attendance is the current deputy mational chairman of the PDP (South), Amb. Taofeek Arapaja; Senator Suleiman Nazif; Hon. Nnena Elendu-Ukeje; Cross State PDP governorship candidate, Senator Sandy Onor, and Senator Mao Ohabunwa.
The party leaders have repeatedly maintained that Ayu must resign for the sake of fairness, justice and inclusivity, so as to bring peace to the party ahead of the 2023 general elections.
