To avoid penalties for anti-party activities, the G5 governors are said to have told their supporters to start ‘underground’ work for their favored presidential candidate ahead of next month’s general election.
According to news sources, the G5 governors – Nyesom Wike of Rivers, Seyi Makinde of Oyo, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia, and Samuel Ortom of Benue – have declined to support Atiku Abubakar’s presidential campaign.
The five disgruntled governors have requested that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, quit or be removed as a condition for supporting the party’s presidential campaign.
PDP Crisis: Gov Ortom Reveals Why He Can’t Support Atiku
Although the governors are reported to be working for two competing candidates, it was learned that their inability to settle on which candidate to support is partly to blame for the governors’ current lack of activity.
According to reports, Atiku’s supporters in Benue State, including former governor Gabriel Suswam, were hard at work reaching out to party faithful in their strongholds to rally support for him.
Suswam and Professor Iyorwuese Hagher, according to an acquaintance of the governor who requested anonymity, have been working a lot for Atiku since Ortom made it plain that he would not back the PDP presidential nominee.
He said: “Suswam addressed stakeholders from Zone A recently, and Iyorwuese has been talking with his kinsmen. They are doing it in such a way as not to offend Ortom. They are friends with the governor, but they are also careful not to overdo things. As a result, there is a lack of statewide coordination.”
2023: Lets Focus on Destroying APC – Gov Ortom Tells Atiku, Others
According to the source, Ortom has also directed his foot soldiers to work for Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi.
“Governor Ortom has already inaugurated an Obi team using his most trusted aides and allies. Former governorship aspirant, Prof Dennis Tyavyar, is chairman of the group. He was Commissioner for Education under Ortom before he stepped down to contest the governorship election,” he added.
According to the magazine, Governors Ikpeazu and Ugwuanyi are pulling for Obi and are putting their foot soldiers to work for his dream in the South-East.
Former PDP National Chairman Uche Secondus is leading the pro-Atiku support base in Rivers State, alongside former governor Celestine Omehia, ex-Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Austin Opara, and former federal senator Lee Maeba.
‘Nigeria Is on Verge of Collapse, All Is Not Well’ – Ortom Tells Buhari
Speaking with Newsmen, the Director General of ‘House to House Campaign for Atiku Abubakar and Ifeanyi Okowa’ in Borno State, Mustapha Shehu, said: “The House to House campaign will definitely break not only the G-5 governors’ hold on their states, but will also pose a significant threat to incumbent non-PDP governors.
“The Borno House to House has proved to be a check on the Wike-sponsored PDP stalwarts, including some in the state Executive. It has also positioned Atiku as the candidate to beat in the state despite the APC governor and the APC presidential running mate, Kashim Shettima.”
Follow us on Facebook