Divisions in PDP G5, Govs working for different presidential candidates – Atiku, Obi, Tinubu  

There are indications of divisions among the protesting five governors of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP), known as PDP G5, who have been agitating for the resignation of the PDP national Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, and have boycotted the PDP presidential campaign for the 2023 general elections. The G5 led by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State also threatened not to mobilise votes for the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in the February presidential election. The PDP G5 include Governor Wike of Rivers State, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, and Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State.

The G5 pulled out of the PDP presidential campaign together with their allies who include former Governors Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, Donald Duke of Cross River State, Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State, as well as some PDP elders who include Chief Bode George, Lagos State; Prof. Jerry Gana, Niger State; Chief Dan Orbih, Edo State, among others.

While Governor Wike had declared that he would announced his endorsed presidential candidate for 2023 in January and would join his campaign, boasting that “nothing will happen.”

National Daily investigation showed that all the PDP G5 are not united on which presidential candidate to support for the 2023 election. An aide to one of the governors, in an interaction with National Daily said that the governors may not go in one direction on the presidential election, saying that peculiar political situations would compel to PDP G5 to act differently in the elections.

The source said that PDP leaders have discovered that Governor Wike has gone far with the presidential candidate of the labour Party (LP), Peter obi, and would not want to disappoint Obi in the February presidential poll. On the Obi alignment, Governor Wike may be a lone ranger, or may be moving in that direction with the two southeast governors, Ikpeazu of Abia, and Ugwuanyi of Enugu.

Our source stated that in the case of Benue State, Governor Ortom may not want to work for any other party, saying that former Governor George Akume controls the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State. According to him, Governor Ortom is not with Akume and would not want to surrender the state to him. He asserted that Ortom has to protect his political interest and this, according to him, can be done by supporting the PDP and all the candidates of the party.

Governor Makinde of Oyo State is believed to be leaning towards the APC presidential candidate, Aswiaju Bola Tinubu, in the struggle against the PDP.

Our source, therefore, declared that “peculiar political situations will define the support base of the PDP G5 in the February presidential election;” saying that they will individually work to protect their respective interests.