The disgruntled People’s Democratic Party governors otherwise called the G5 or Integrity Group, on Thursday disappointed their teeming followers and loyalists when they failed to name their preferred presidential candidate for the February 25 election.
The group, led by Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, had indicated recently that it would unveil its preferred candidate that teeming supporters would vote for soon.
Many had thought that the group would use the trip to Ibadan on Thursday to campaign for one of theirs, Governor Seyi Makinde as an avenue to announce it. But it didn’t happen.
Governors Wike and Samuel Ortom of Benue State who spoke at the Mapo Hall in Ibadan during the flag-off for campaigns for the re-election of Makinde, made it clear that their choice would be unveiled “soon”
Makinde, Ortom, Wike are members of the PDP G5 alongside Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu.
Dressed in Yoruba traditional attire, the governors took turns to address the crowd of PDP supporters, persuading them to vote Makinde, whom they described as the “Youth Leader of the G5”, for a second term in office.
“You already know Seyi Makinde has done well since you gave him the mandate in 2019”, Wike told the crowd.
He then urged all the opposition party candidates including the All Progressives Congress candidate, Teslim Folarin to withdraw their candidacy for Makinde.
Wike argued that Makinde is the only reputable contender running, asking voters to back the governor of Oyo in the state’s gubernatorial election.
He went on to say, “I do not want to market a weak product. Do you want to market a weak product (referring to the crowd)? You already know Seyi Makinde has done well since you gave him the mandate in 2019. And therefore, the only way you can benefit more is for you to allow him to continue the good works he has started.
“Let me use this opportunity and tell all of you (the electorates) if anybody is contesting (for the Oyo guber election) in other parties, today, 5th January 2023, please I’m giving you the final notice, withdraw now.
“The people of Oyo have spoken that it is PDP. Vote for Seyi as governor, vote for House of Reps, vote for NASS (National Assembly), the other one (president), Seyi will talk to you.”
Also, Ortom dismissed “social media gossip”, saying the G5 will let Nigerians know where it is headed at the appropriate time.
“We want to assure you that the Integrity Group and the G5 governors are committed members of the PDP in our various states.
“We have a challenge with the national leaders of our party because they have failed to deploy the internal resolution mechanism to solve the problems after the convention.
“We are committed to PDP in our various states and at the appropriate time, we are going to let you know where and what to do. We are united, we are together; don’t listen to gossip on social media – we are committed to PDP and all our candidates in our states,” the Benue State governor said.
The PDP Deputy National Chairman in the South West, Taofeek Arapaja; the party’s Chairman in Oyo, Bayo Ogungbenro; amongst other party faithful were also in attendance.
However, the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar; and the party’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu; were conspicuously absent from the event.
For months, the G5 has been at loggerheads with Atiku and Ayu over the chairmanship of the latter.
The five disgruntled governors want Ayu to step down for a southerner as a precondition to support Atiku’s decade-long ambition in the February 25 presidential election.
But Ayu has insisted that he would only resign after his four-year constitutional term.
In November, Wike promised logistics support for the campaigns of Obi and his New Nigeria People’s Party counterpart, Rabiu Kwankwaso.
Wike has also of late hobnobbed with APC stalwarts like Adams Oshiomhole and Governors Dave Umahi of Ebonyi, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos and Ben Ayade of Cross River State.
While Wike and his allies have not been seen to campaign for Atiku, it is not clear whether they will support Obi, Kwankwaso or Tinubu in the contest for Aso Rock’s top job.
