PDP Crisis: Wike’s G5 Hit Major Setback As One Gov Reportedly Courts Atiku Ahead Of Polls

One of the aggrieved Governors, known as the G-5, supporting the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar may soon abandon the group causing a major setback, Naija News learnt.

Recall, Governor Wike, together with Governors Seyi Makinde of Oyo, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu, and Samuel Ortom of Benue, generally referred to as the G5 governors of the PDP,  pulled out of the PDP presidential campaign.

The aggrieved governors claimed that the National Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu had promised that he would resign his position if a northerner emerged as the presidential candidate of the PDP.

They demanded the resignation of Ayu, as a condition to support Atiku in 2023.

But new reports emerging have shown that Governor Ikpeazu may become the first among the aggrieved southern governors to abandon the G-5 following Thursday’s visit of the Abia PDP delegation to Atiku in Abuja.

PDP’s Abia governorship candidate, Professor Eleazar Uche Ikonne, whom the governor endorsed to succeed him at the party’s governorship primary, led the delegation.

Ikpeazu Courts Atiku Behind Colleagues

According to sources close to Ikpeazu quoted by The Whistler, the Abia Governor due to his senatorial bid reassessed his membership of the G-5, arriving at a conclusion that continuing may cost him the ticket.

Although, while Ikpeazu has not formally announced his withdrawal from the G-5, a close aide disclosed that it has become difficult to tell where the governor’s loyalty lies because he (Ikpeazu) associates with the G-5 in public but allegedly works against the group’s interest by indirectly courting Atiku behind his colleagues.

The source further stressed that Wike will lose nothing as he is not running for any office in 2023, but the same cannot be said about Ikpeazu who needs every support possible to win the Abia South senatorial election.

The 2023 presidential and national assembly elections will be held on the same day (February 25) and Tthe source said the Abia governor would not want a situation where working against the PDP presidential candidate will affect his senatorial election as voters supporting the PDP would be faced with choosing different parties at the polls.

Dino Melaye Hints On Wike’s G-5 Working For PDP’s Sucess

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, a spokesperson of the Atiku campaign, Dino Melaye, hinted that some members of Wike’s G-5 indicated interest to work for PDP’s success at the polls.

“Above all, by the grace of God at the end of the day, we may not get everybody together. We cannot get everybody together. But, some of these governors are still going to work for their party.

“Senator Abba Moro and Governor of Abia when talking in Makurdi also made it clear that he is support the PDP from head to toe,” Melaye said during an interview on Channels TV’s ‘Politics Today’ on Tuesday.