The G5, comprising of Governors Nyesom Wike (Rivers State), Seyi Makinde (Oyo State), Samuel Ortom (Benue State), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia State) and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu State), are set to make a final decision on the presidential candidate they intend to support in the 2023 elections.
The meeting will take place in London, United Kingdom, where the governors are expected to settle decisively on a preferred candidate before January 5th when their campaign officially begins.
This decision comes after several meetings and requests asking for Iyorchia Ayu, PDP National Chairman, to step down have all gone unmet.
Sources indicate that the G5 have ruled out supporting Atiku Abubakar, also from the PDP, and are currently focused on either backing Bola Tinubu from the All Progressives Congress or Labour Party’s Peter Obi instead.
They want someone who can end up being victorious over Atiku Abubakar come 2023 so as not to be ridiculed by then.
As quoted by The Nation, the source said: “The London meeting is a wrap-up session on their preferred presidential candidate who will also be part of the campaign in their respective states.
“Before they left, the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, was already out of their equation. Both Atiku’s running mate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, and Governor Emmanuel Udom did not succeed in prevailing on the G-5 to support the PDP candidate.
“They claimed that Okowa and Udom are parts of the problem in PDP because they refused to abide by the decision of the Southern governors on power shift to the South.
“They have drawn the battle lines with Atiku. They have foreclosed any reconciliation. They will now meet at the poll to settle political scores.
“The G-5 governors have to choose between Tinubu and Obi. They have to consider all options, including the consideration of who has the strength or figures to defeat Atiku in the presidential poll.
“It is no longer about sentiments, but facing the reality on whose figures can add up to win the poll for power shift to the South, which is their ultimate objective.”
Fear Of Supporting A Weak Candidate
As Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election draws near, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) G5 Governors have reportedly begun discussions on potential candidates.
According to reports, these governors are looking for a sure-winning candidate that they can all agree on so they can challenge the incumbent, Atiku Abubakar.
They are said to be taking their time and carefully analyzing political trends across the country before settling on a choice.
Another top source said: “The greatest fear of the G-5 governors is supporting a weak candidate who may lose the presidential election. Then, all their objective, plot and bragging will come to naught.
“Yet, they want to prove a point to PDP that they are a force to reckon with. If they fail to make an impact in 2023 poll, it will spell doom for their political career.
“As politicians, the G-5 governors have been closely monitoring the campaigns and political trends in the country. They will use available statistics at their disposal to determine whether or not to back Tinubu or Obi.”
Obasanjo Angle On Peter Obi
At a recent meeting with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, three of the G5 governors (Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde) were urged to support the Peoples Democratic Party’s VP nominee, Peter Obi.
Obasanjo argued that the Igbos should be given the chance to produce the next President of Nigeria.
A close aide of one of the governors was quoted to have said: “Obasanjo made the plea during a private session with Wike, Ortom and Makinde.
“Some of the governors are not for Obi, but they are already aiding him with logistics, including free use of stadia for campaign.
Five Likely Outcomes Of The London Meeting
G5 Governors have reportedly been strategizing in London on what decisions to take regarding their support of presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
Among the possibilities purportedly discussed were: endorsing either Tinubu or Obi; providing resources and environment for Tinubu or Obi to attract voters in the five states; letting each governor make individual decisions based on political circumstances; staying silent about their preferred candidate until the last minutes before the election; and allowing the electorate in each state decide who to vote for without campaigning for Atiku.
Article updated 2 months ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
