Leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are optimistic that the Nyesom Wike-led G-5 governors in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will throw their weight behind the presidential bid of its candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in the 2023 general elections.
The G-5, otherwise known as the ‘Integrity Governors’ include Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Seyi Makinde (Oyo); Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia); Samuel Ortom (Benue) and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) are demanding the resignation of the PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu as a condition for their support for Atiku Abubakar, the PDP presidential candidate.
They also want Atiku to sign an undertaking that if he wins the 2023 presidential election, he will only rule for one term and allow power to move back to the Southern part of the country in 2027.
The aggrieved governors and their supporters had pulled out of the campaign council of Atiku and declared that they would not work for his aspiration unless their demands were met by the candidate and the leadership of the party.
READ ALSO:
While many of Atiku’s associates such as Chief Raymond Dokpesi had publicly said he will only serve for one term, Wike and his allies believe it is a mere political statement as the agreement may not be honoured.
In recent times, Wike has been full of praises for President Muhammadu Buhari whom he commended for approving all the monies accruable to the Niger Delta states since 1999.
He has also been romancing prominent APC leaders, inviting them to Rivers state for projects commissioning.
Last week, the governor said he will reveal the presidential candidate to moblise votes for in the 2023 general election in January, 2023, adding that he would undertake a nationwide campaign tour to tell Nigerians the most preferred presidential candidate requiring their votes.
On the other hand, supporters of Atiku in Rivers and Benue were recently attacked for pasting posters and wearing t-shirts of the PDP presidential candidate.
Speaking with DAILY INDEPENDENT on Sunday, a member of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC who asked not to be named said many leaders of the party are confident that Wike and his allies will pitch their tent with Tinubu.
” We in the APC are very confident the G-5 governors will back Asiwaju. There are three major presidential candidates in the election. They have completely ruled out Atiku of PDP. Atiku’s campaign team even boasted that they can win the election without the support of the integrity governors. Don’t forget, Atiku also ignored Seyi Makinde and announced Ademola Adeleke as the Chairman of the South-West Coordinating Committee of the campaign council”.
” With Atiku out of the picture, the two remaining candidates are Asiwaju and the Labour Party candidate, Peter Obi. From the look of things, a highly sophisticated politician like Wike can never support Obi who has no structures but only relying on social media and fake online polls to claim victory”.
” Politics as they say is a game of numbers. With the flop witnessed in Kogi, Osun and Port Harcourt rally of Labour Party and other parts of the country, do you think any serious politician will support him”? he asked.
Another APC chieftain who is a member of the South-West Agenda for Asiwaju 2023 (SWAGA’23) said the body language of the governors shows they are in support of Tinubu’s aspiration.
” From the body language of the governors, it is clear they are supporting Asiwaju. If you remember, the Oyo State Governor Makinde said they are in support of the Pa Reuben Fasoranti-led Afenifere which endorsed Tinubu’s presidential bid”.
Your pension funds safe, won't be accessed illegally, FG tells workers Minister of Finance and…
Cult war rages in Benue community, govt imposes curfew A dusk-to-dawn curfew has been imposed on…
Updated: Cameroonian, two Nigerians arrested over kidnapping The police have arrested a Cameroonian and two…
Using pre-registered SIM card may land you in jail, NCC warns The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has…
Six political parties plot against APC, meet in Kaduna Six political parties converged in Kaduna State on…
Palestinian envoy lambasts US for arresting protesters The Palestinian Ambassador to Nigeria, Abdullahi Shawesh, on…