The return of the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic (PDP), Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, to Nigeria after two weeks of vacation overseas, may have prompted the meeting of the Group of five governors (G-5) in the PDP, led by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, to c0nvene a meeting in Enugu, Enugu State, to review their strategy as earlier revealed by Governor Wike.
According to the Special Adviser on Media and Communications to Ayu, Simon Imobo-Tswam, the PD National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, “his plane touched down at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at about 7.00pm,” last Friday. He has been assigned a role in the PDP campaigns as a member of the Campaign Council.
The PDP G-5, which include Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, converged in Enugu on Sunday, while Ayu returned on Friday, for a closed-door meeting.
The G-5 had been agitating for the resignation of Ayu as PDP national chairman and the immediate appointment of a southern as the party’s national chairman before the commencement of the 2023 electioneering campaigns. They argued that the north cannot hold the national chairman and the presidential candidate ticket of the party, leaving the south with nothing in the leadership structure.
Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Walid Jibrin, has resigned and was succeeded by former Senate President Adulph Wabara to share power with the north. The G-5 members were not satisfied. They insisted on the resignation of Ayu and the emergence of a southern national chairman.
The G-5 has other allies who include Chief Bode George, former Governors Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State, Donald Duke of Cross River State, Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State, and an elder statesman, Prof. Jerry Gana, among others.
The southern leaders had also pulled out of the Atiku campaign until their demand is met. They threaten to work against the pa5rty in the general elections.