G-5 governors reject peace offer from South South leaders
Edited by: Andrew Ngozi Okonye
Aggrieved Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors yesterday foreclosed any support for the party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, in next year’s election.
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| The G-5 governors – From left to right: Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), and Sam Ortom (Benue) |
The governor – Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), and Sam Ortom (Benue) – also rejected peace overtures from Southsouth leaders, who appealed to them to retrace their steps.
Wike and other members of the Integrity Group said there was no room for a final peace deal with Atiku.
The governors, who left the country three days ago, said they will not leave a crucial meeting in London for any meeting in Nigeria.
Meeting with Tinubu:
It was gathered that the G-5 governors met with the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in London.
It was unclear if there will be more representations to the G-5 by other presidential candidates.
One of the governors said: “It was part of the ongoing consultations with all stakeholders. We have said that we will make our position known in January. Don’t jump the gun.”
According to a source, who spoke in confidence, the G-5 team shut its doors against Atiku because he has not yielded grounds on their demands, especially concessions to the South and stepping down from office by the National Chairman of PDP, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu.
The removal of Makinde as the Southwest Coordinator for PDP Presidential Campaign allegedly angered the governors at the session in London.
Ensure victory of PDP in other elections:
The source said: “So far, the London meeting has succeeded in defining the position of the G-5 on Atiku. The governors have resolved not to work for the presidential candidate of their party.
“They will however, ensure the victory of PDP in other elections in their various states. The good thing is that the Presidential and the National Assembly Elections will come first on February 25, 2023.
“The governors were unhappy that they gave Atiku enough windows to meet their demands, but he refused because he believes he can win without them.
“They claimed that the little trust between them and Atiku has waned. They foresee vengeance against them if Atiku wins the 2023 poll.
“Where there is need for alliance in their states, they said they are determined to prove to PDP and Atiku that they cannot be wished away.”
South South Leaders:
It was learnt that ahead of the final decision of the G-5 on Atiku, some South-South leaders hurriedly invited Wike to a meeting in Nigeria for a deal with the PDP candidate.
But the Rivers State governor, who is the arrowhead of G-5, said he will not be part of any fresh deal or talk with Atiku.
“Wike told the South-South leaders that it was late in the day to have any meeting with them on the Atiku-Okowa ticket. He said the London meeting was more crucial than the one in Nigeria.
“Some of the Southsouth leaders became helpless and may abandon their latest overtures.”
On a fresh shuttle being planned by a former Minister of Defence, Gen. Aliyu Gusau, another source added: “The G-5 will not sit down with him because he has been biased from the onset. He pitched tents with Atiku. He has his reasons, the G-5 governors have theirs. Water and oil do not mix.”
Five options before the G-5:
Since they arrived in London, the governors have been weighing options.
The five choices before the G-5 are as follows:
•To endorse Tinubu or Obi and damn the consequences
•A flat option: To support Tinubu or Obi with resources and the right environment to woo voters in the five states
•Leave every governor to take any decision based on political exigency in each state or zone
•Refuse to campaign for Atiku and allow the electorates in each state to decide who to vote for.
•Keep their game plan to themselves by waiting till the last minutes before making a pronouncement on their preferred candidate.
Atiku Responds
‘I’m elephant, can’t be taken by surprise,’ says Atiku
The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has described himself as an elephant, saying he can not be taken by surprise from the G-5 governors of the PDP.
Atiku said that anyone that plans to stop him from achieving his political ambition, should first make himself the president of Nigeria.
Read also: G-5 governors: Make yourself president if you want to stop me – Atiku
The former vice president equally noted that he was not perturbed by plots of five aggrieved governors, popularly known as G-5 governors, to endorse presidential candidates of their choice.
He stated that he is an elephant that has seen everything, noting that he cannot be taken by surprised by the aggrieved governors.
Atiku, who spoke through his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, said any person boasting of having such powers to stop his presidential bid, should first make himself president.
His words: “Atiku will be president. Whether the cock crows or not, the sun must rise. Power belongs to God Almighty; no man can arrogate to himself the powers of God Almighty. Any man who can boast of stopping Atiku should first make himself president of Nigeria.
“Atiku is an elephant. Even when an elephant walks on thorns, it does not limp. And when you have seen a snake, it cannot bite you anymore. In this case, we have seen the snake, how can we be taken by surprise?”
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