The five governors elected under the banner of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), also known as the G-5, have begun to show signs of discord among themselves, with each appearing to be going their separate ways.
Reliable sources say the five governors were unable to come to a consensus on which presidential candidate to support in the February elections.
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The G-5 noted that while all of the governors agreed not to work for the PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, they cannot agree on who to support in the February 25th election.
According to the most recent information from the group, the governors’ preferences were more influenced by regional and political considerations.
The Rivers state Governor Nyesom Wike has canvassed support for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu because he appears to be the “most realistic option that can win the presidential election,” according to our sources.
Wike is determined to capitalize on the apparent disagreement between his predecessor, Rotimi Amaechi, and Tinubu.
Wike’s strategists are said to be considering supporting Tinubu in exchange for the victory of the PDP’s gubernatorial candidate in Rivers state, Mr Siminialayi Fubara.
Wike led the G-5 to meet with Tinubu in December but were unable to reach an agreement with the APC candidate in London.
The core group of the G-5 governors—Benue, Oyo, Enugu, and Abia—seem to support Mr. Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP).
Benue state Governor Samuel Ortom is reportedly eager to provide critical logistical support for Obi’s candidacy. According to Makurdi sources, “Ortom seriously thinks that if Obi ends up winning convincingly in the South-East and South-South, Christian votes in the North-Central should be enough to get him into Aso Rock.”
Ortom is believed to be interested in the Igbo presidency as a means of safeguarding the political rights of Middle-Belt minorities.
The governors of Enugu and Abia states, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and Okezie Ikpeazu, are staunch supporters of Ortom. Both Governors noted that supporting Obi “is contesting to win for Igbo political survival in Nigeria.”
These governors felt safe betting on the project, especially now that well-known public figures such as former President Olusegun Obasanjo have backed Obi.
Oyo Governor Seyi Makinde is said to have agreed to the Obi project despite being from the South-West. According to the sources, Makinde’s motivations differ. According to one source, the “Other issues may have caused a rift between Oyo Governor and Wike. They haven’t been spotted together in a while, which is unusual.”
Makinde is reportedly working hard to reach an agreement with Tinubu, but Senator Teslim Folarin, the APC’s gubernatorial candidate in Oyo state, is actively throwing stumbling blocks in the way, and Tinubu’s supporters are unwilling to risk losing the state.
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Recall that Makinde brought the G-5 to a campaign rally in Ibadan and the crowd began shouting for Atiku to disgrace Makinde.
According to a source at the Government House in Ibadan, Makinde is “increasingly facing domestic political pressure as he has visited Port Harcourt more than he has Ibadan, leading many Ibadan people to believe that he has forgotten about winning a second term altogether.”
Only Makinde is vying for a second term among the G-5 Governors. According to reports, he is keeping his options close to his chest. As a strategy to proceed sending mixed signals, he has maintained warm relationships with both the Obi and Tinubu camps.