The five disgruntled Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors known as the G-5 have yet to agree on a presidential candidate to support in 2023.
Recall that the governors threatened not to support the PDP’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, following the party’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu’s decision to remain in office.
The governors had demanded Ayu’s resignation due to the party’s northern dominance in key positions.
Members of the G-5 include Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom, Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, and Seyi Makinde (Oyo State).
WITHIN NIGERIA learnt that the governors were unable to agree on a presidential candidate to support during their meeting last week in London, United Kingdom.
There are indications that members of the group would support either the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, or the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
According to sources who spoke with Punch about the meeting’s outcome, the aggrieved governors had yet to agree on who to support due to their respective ambitions and interests.
While Makinde seeks a second term, Ortom, Ugwuanyu, and Ikpeazu are running for the Senate.
According to sources, the governors decided after their meeting not to openly campaign for their preferred candidate in order not to jeopardize their chances in the election.
The governors were sharply divided over the candidates, according to one source who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The source said;
Many people know that former President Olusegun Obasanjo sold the candidacy of Peter Obi to them. He wants the governors to back the former Anambra State governor. Some initially embraced the former President’s suggestion out of respect for him.
However, it was clear that Obi might not win the election, so the reality of this dawned on the governors and they discussed it, but they did not take a position.
You also know that the presidential candidate of the APC sent emissaries to the governors before he personally met them. He had negotiated with them, especially Wike. But the other governors are afraid that such a negotiation could work against them in their states.
The APC and its presidential candidate are not very popular in the South-East. In fact, the people of the zone are angry with some comments said to have been made by the vice-presidential candidate of the APC (Kashim Shettima) some time ago. This was why the people walked out on him in Imo State when members of the party went there for consultation.”
Another source speaking on the outcome of the meeting said, “The South-East generally is for the PDP, though the Labour Party through Obi is making inroads into the place. Given the fear of the people and their personal ambitions, they are likely going to back Atiku and the PDP.
Also, there is no governor who will not want to have a successor. They will not want to confuse their supporters with conflicting directives and therefore commit political suicide.
The source added that the positions of Ortom and Makinde were almost similar.
The source noted;
For example, in Benue, the governor has never hidden his anger against the APC. Remember the party refused to give him a second-term ticket, but the PDP accommodated him. He had fought with almost all the power brokers in the opposition.
His preferred candidate is also not popular, unlike the APC candidate. If he confuses the voters, he and his candidate will lose in the election.
Makinde has many enemies within the PDP. The likes of Bisi Olopoeyan and Mulikat Akande-Adeola and their supporters are still angry with the way the governor treated them during the last primaries and others. Yet, his enemies are increasing.
Don’t forget, the APC governorship candidate in Oyo State, Senator Teslim Folarin, and that of the Accord Party, Bayo Adelabu, are waiting for Makinde to make a mistake so that they can take advantage of it. They are even talking about forming a coalition against Makinde, so it’s clear that the governors have to survive first.
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