Five governors, who are members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) have failed to name their preferred presidential candidate in January as promised by their leader, Governor Nyesom Wike in December, Daily Trust reports.

Dubbed G-5, the governors; Wike, Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) have vowed to work against their party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

Since the presidential primary of the PDP, there has been a crisis in the party over calls for the National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu to step down from his position.

The governors are insisting that the PDP presidential candidate and national chairman cannot be from the same region.

The governors had held a series of meetings with the candidate of the ruling APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu and that of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi. In December, they met with Tinubu in London, where they reportedly struck a deal on the 2023 presidency.

Wike, who leads the group, had on December 22nd said they will name their preferred candidate in January. But he did not as of Tuesday, the last day of the month.

Speaking, while commissioning a project in Port Harcourt, Wike said he will not only tell his people who to vote for but will campaign for his choice of the presidential candidate throughout the country. “Nothing will happen.”

While Wike is not seeking any elective position in the general election, Makinde is seeking a second term; Ortom, Ikpeazu and Ugwuanyi are all contesting for senatorial seats.

Govs in tight corners over local peculiarities

The governors are having difficulties reaching a compromise on the preferred candidate because of what is tagged ‘’local peculiarities’’, it was gathered last night.

A source close to the G-5 told Daily Trust that the governors might not come to a compromise on any preferred candidate as they might be forced to work individually based on local peculiarities.

“If you remember the last time the governors travelled out of the country, they were supposed to agree on the way forward but that was not possible. Many reports said they were going to endorse Tinubu, but there were too many diversities in the states that the governors will find it difficult to come to a compromise,” he said.

Commenting on the matter, Senator Shehu Sani, who represented Kaduna Central in the Senate between 2015 and 2019, said the G-5 has been playing hard to get.

On his Twitter handle yesterday, he said; “The clock is ticking. When the masses they control have made up their minds, the endorsement will be irrelevant.”

Abia gov lobbies to replace late anointed candidate

The Abia State governor has commenced subtle moves to get the support of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP to be able to replace the late governorship candidate of the party, Prof. Uche Ikonne, who died last week.

Ikpeazu, a source in Abia State said is seeking the support of the NWC to anoint his Chief of Staff, Okey Ahiwe, as the party’s governorship candidate.

A source in the Abuja secretariat of the PDP, said; “Abia governor is confused because of the demise of his anointed candidate. He is begging for him to be allowed to produce the next flag bearer.”

The governor requires the support of the NWC led by Ayu to conduct a fresh primary to replace the candidate.

Ortom’s rooting for Obi

To actualise his senatorial bid and install his successor, Ortom, it was gathered is tilting towards Obi.

He has previously hailed Obi during his visit to Makurdi.

“His body language suggested that he is rooting for Obi of LP,” the source said.

Another source said if Ortom endorses Tinubu, it would negatively affect the candidature of the PDP governorship candidate and boost the chances of the APC.

Addressing journalists recently, Ortom told journalists that if he was not a member of the PDP he would have championed the campaign of Obi.

“We are on cause with our group, as faithful party men we have given enough time and we thought the leadership will address the issue. But where people decided to be arrogant and mischievous and do things with impunity is not good enough.

“However, politics is a game of interest and anyone you see at the National or state level is interested in something. So I cannot fold my hands and allow somebody to rubbish me. We are masters of the game,” he said.

Wike likely to back Tinubu

Daily Trust reliably gathered from close sources that Wike has perfected plans to announce Tinubu as his preferred presidential candidate for the 2023 elections.

It was learnt that the announcement would have been made weeks ago after it became obvious that reconciliation with Atiku has completely broken down, but Wike and his supporters are working on getting the other four governors in the group a better deal.

“It was obvious that Atiku was only buying time. He wasn’t open to genuine reconciliation with the Integrity Group. Wike sensed this earlier but he was warned that declaring for Tinubu might jeopardise the chances of the other governors,” a source told Daily Trust.

But another chieftain of the party said Wike was still pondering between Tinubu and Obi, adding that while the governor wants to work with the former Lagos governor, many of his people are rooting for the former Anambra State governor.

Addressing journalists recently, Ortom told journalists that if he was not a member of the PDP, he would have championed the campaign of Obi.

“We are on course with our group, as faithful party men, we have given enough time and we thought the leadership will address the issue. But where people decide to be arrogant and mischievous and do things with impunity, it is not good enough.

“However, politics is a game of interest and anyone you see at the national or state level is interested in something. So I cannot fold my hands and allow somebody to rubbish me. We are masters of the game,” he said.

Oyo gov bending towards Atiku

In Oyo State, posters of Atiku and Makinde have emerged contrary to what was obtainable weeks ago. It was learnt that Makinde feared that his second term might be in jeopardy if he continued his open rejection of Atiku.

A source close to Atiku said the attendance of the Oyo State deputy, chairman of the PDP and other chieftains of the party at Atiku’s campaign rally in Ibadan showed that Makinde was bending towards the former vice president.

“When we went to Oyo, it was only the governor that was absent. The deputy governor and others were there. Makinde is already bending towards us because of his election,” he said.

It was also learnt that Gov. Ugwuanyi is also being cautious in supporting any other presidential candidates as a result of the growing popularity of Obi.

“Don’t forget that the Presidential and National Assembly elections are held on the same day and time. Openly campaigning for anyone except Obi in the South East is suicidal. Some candidates for the National Assembly are using Obi’s image on their posters or telling people that they are not against Obi,” noted a member of the governor’s inner caucus.

Efforts to get the reaction of the aggrieved governors yielded no results as the spokesperson of Wike, Kelvin Ebiri and Makinde’s, Taiwo Adisa did not pick up their calls at the time of filing this report.

Wike accuses Atiku, Ayu of anti-party

Meanwhile, Wike has accused the national leadership of the PDP of being anti-party by plotting to frustrate the litigations against the APC and Social Democratic Party, SDP, in Rivers State.

Wike who made the allegation at the State School Premises, Okehi 1, venue of the Rivers State PDP campaign flag-off rally in Etche Local Government Area on Monday, said the national leadership did not support the PDP in Rivers, which had taken APC and SDP in the state to court over non-compliance to the regulations and laws of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the conduct of their various primaries.


They have run out of steam – Kari

An associate professor of Political Sociology, University of Abuja, Dr Abubakar Umar Kari, said it was clear that the G-5 have run out of steam.

“After upping the political temperature – even heating the polity – for several months through grandstanding, many people no longer take them seriously again, because they have dithered and prevaricated for too long without matching their boasts and threats with action.

“Even more significantly, the PDP and Atiku Abubakar seem to be doing well, and capable of trudging on, without them. There were instances when the G-5 appeared unsure of what they wanted or what to do.

“On the whole, I am not sure they can wreck the kind of damage earlier anticipated, because their reluctance has given enough time and room for their opponents to prepare and substantially neutralize their huge nuisance,” he said last night.

We are sure of reconciliation – Atiku Campaign

The PDP Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) said the G-5 governors have not named any preferred presidential candidate because everybody wants reconciliation.

Kola Ologbondiyan, a spokesman of the Atiku/Okowa Campaign Organization told Daily Trust on the phone that Atiku is always ready for reconciliation.

“Atiku is always set for reconciliation. I believe everybody wants reconciliation and we are sure that there will be reconciliation,” he said.

https://dailytrust.com/january-vow-wike-led-g5-fails-to-name-presidential-candidate/

The G-5 are confused, but it seems wike is more confused than the others.

Even with the 20k they're paying youths in every ward in ph, most people I know say they're not even going to come out and vote, while one of my nigga say him go just dey play football throughout that day say nothing concern am with the election 😂😂😂😂😂

chrisxxx:

I had a plan of voting Atiku. But with the difference between Atiku and Wike I have withdrawn voting. I go dey munch popcorn and groundnut while waiting for the eventual winner. Although I pray APC doesn't return. It is not a hate against Tinubu but APC.

Lol

Politics is war!

All this permutations and combinations will end soon!

We shall get a favorable result in about 25/26 days!

Aamen.

Whoever wins is our President!

Wike is confused

See our just concluded 3bedroom bungalow construction if you're about starting your building project.. Link in my signature

AllTheWayUp:
Wike is the greatest coward that ever lived
“A coward Gov. Nyesom Wike, after a meeting yesterday, has begged his caucus and local government chairmen in the state that he is not publicly naming his preferred presidential candidate for fear of the unknown.
He begged them to work for Bola Tinubu of the APC and ensure Tinubu get 25% at all cost. Wike fears suspension and dissolution of his Rivers PDP Executive similar to what how Ayu led PDP NWC sacked Fayose led Ekiti PDP Executives last two weeks
Jungle don mature for Wike

Dele Momodu? Uhn.

Because their bride Tinubu who they thought would be scheming and begging and making promises to them if they support him is not very interested in their support. He doesn't need their endorsement which is sad news for them.

https://twitter.com/cifutemi/status/1616524378484736009?t=MABGkJJ0BFUI8Yj1tI7v2w&s=19

I said the man is an empty drum
Tinubu slaves begging him to endorse their foolish master

This G5 should go and sit down abeg.

Wike is playing with fire.
How long will pdp's patience be tested.
This might be the last stroll,
Wike is pushing pdp to d wall, it might not end well wooo

Wike is a very wise man... All I'm saying is that Wike can never support Jagaban..

Wike has finally lead them from 5G to 1g
here in Rivers state no one take him or his draconic executive order and his third term govship candidate serious anymore

A

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Wike will commit political suicide.

Wike lost it.
All of them should getat.
No Nigerian is more Nigerian than any other Nigerian.
Power belongs to the people.
The G5 governors can’t me who to vote for.
They’re on their own.

He was just enjoying the media attention

Naturally i don't take men who talk too much seriously; so I'm not surprised.

Wike is still a strong politician.

Btw, you guys should be concerned about rotimi amaechi. I haven't heard about him in a while. Is he still in APC?

Just like the uni abuja don said. Wike and his G5 governors have truly run out of steam. Everyone is now fighting for his own head.

When sensible people will be discussing Nigeria politics some children here will be disagreeing because they called themselves Obidient thinking that Wike was fighting for South or for all of us. Wike was just about is interest which was deflated as he lost his presidential bid. But you guys were busy hailing that music director and today I know that most of you are ashamed of him, not just him you should be ashamed of yourself that at your age politicians will still be deceiving you.

These ones are just capping, sensible Nigerians already know whom they are voting for

That is why it is good to think before talking.

He knows he will be roasted if he's saying he's for justice then wake up to support injustice! His concience is working.

What's so special about this G5 of a faction

After all the noise. . . . .

Wike can never be a presidential material. Too garrulous and undiplomatic.
It is very clear why Atiku or anyother can never work with such an megalomaniac.
When illiterate thugs find themselves in power. . . . the drunken madness continues.