PDP G5 Governors Meet In UK Amid Party’s Crisis

The five disgruntled governors of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, known as the “G-5,” were currently meeting in the United Kingdom, UK, to decide which candidate they would support for president in 2023. There was a palpable fear about the outcome of this latest round of meetings.

The five governors, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu, Seyi Makinde of Oyo, Samuel Ortom of Benue, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia, and Nyesom Wike of the Rivers, have been at odds with the party’s leadership over their demand on Iyorchia Ayu’s resignation.

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They had ruled out working for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the party’s presidential nominee, before the trip.

Prior to the 2023 general election, the G-5 Governors are making every effort to communicate their grievances under the auspices of the Integrity Group.

The G-5 Governors are supporting either Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) or Mr. Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), according to a close source who talked to vanguard yesterday on the condition of anonymity.

Recall that ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo requested the G-5 to back Obi in a private meeting with three of the displeased governors because no Igbo candidate had been elected president.

THEEAGLE gathered that the dilemma of the G-5 Governors was not to back the wrong candidate, which will make PDP and Atiku mock them.

The source stated that the five governors will run joint presidential and gubernatorial campaigns and advised them to streamline their roles in order to effectively communicate their future plans to the people.

According to the source, “The London meeting is a wrap-up session on their preferred presidential candidate who will also be part of the campaign in their respective states.

“Before they left, the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, was already out of their equation. Both Atiku’s running mate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, and Governor Emmanuel Udom did not succeed in prevailing on the G-5 to support the PDP candidate.

“They claimed that Okowa and Udom are parts of the problem in PDP because they refused to abide by the decision of the Southern governors on power shift to the South.

“They have drawn the battle lines with Atiku. They have foreclosed any reconciliation. They will now meet at the poll to settle political scores.

“The G-5 governors have to choose between Tinubu and Obi. They have to consider all options, including the consideration of who has the strength or figures to defeat Atiku in the presidential poll.

“It is no longer about sentiments, but facing the reality on whose figures can add up to win the poll for power shift to the South, which is their ultimate objective.

Another source said: “The greatest fear of the G-5 governors is supporting a weak candidate who may lose the presidential election. Then, all their objective, plot and bragging will come to naught.

“Yet, they want to prove a point to PDP that they are a force to reckon with. If they fail to make an impact in 2023 poll, it will spell doom for their political career.

“As politicians, the G-5 governors have been closely monitoring the campaigns and political trends in the country. They will use available statistics at their disposal to determine whether or not to back Tinubu or Obi.”

However, research has revealed that Olusegun Obasanjo, the former president, instructed three of the governors who made him a private visit to support Obi in order to give the Igbo an opportunity to rule the country.

One of the governors’ close associates said, “Obasanjo made the plea during a private session with Wike, Ortom and Makinde.

“Some of the governors are not for Obi, but they are already aiding him with logistics, including free use of stadia for the campaign.”