PDP leaders in last minute efforts to pacify G-5 governors

Some leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are engaged in  last minute efforts to prevail on the five aggrieved governors, also known as G-5,  to support the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, Daily Sun learnt.

Multiple sources told Daily Sun, yesterday, that in the last few days, concerned party leaders have been reaching out to Governors Nyesom Wike, Samuel Ortom, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Okezie Ikpeazu and Seyi Makinde of Rivers, Benue, Enugu, Abia and Oyo states, respectively imploring them not to ditch the party ahead of the presidential poll.

“In the aftermath of reports of  alleged moves by the aggrieved governors to endorse either the Labour Party presidential candidate , Peter Obi, or his All Progressives Congress (APC) counterpart, Bola Tinubu, some PDP leaders have stepped up efforts to pacify the G-5,” a top official of the party told Daily Sun.

The G-5 governors and the supporters, as well as other aggrieved leaders of the major opposition party  have been at warpath with the PDP leadership and Atiku, since the nomination of Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa as vice presidential candidate.

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The governors are insisting on the replacement of PDP national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, with a Southerner as condition for peace. They have continued to boycott the party’s activities, including the  presidential campaign rallies, since the crisis broke out.  So far, all efforts to resolve the crisis have been unsuccessful.

Daily Sun gathered that the  leaders of the party are apprehensive that if the PDP was unable to resolve the issues, it might jeopardise the party’s chances at the polls. Consequently, some of the leaders are pushing for reconciliation with the Wike camp.

A member of the opposition party’s National Executive Committee ( NEC), who pleaded anonymity confirmed to Daily Sun that there are renewed efforts to get the aggrieved governors to bury the hatchet.

“ I know  that there are efforts. More efforts are being made by party leaders to pacify them the G-5 governors,” the NEC official said.

Last week, the chairman of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council  and Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel  met with Wike and Ortom in the Rivers State government House in Port Harcourt.

Prior to the Port Harcourt meeting, Emmanuel had met with Ortom in Uyo, days after the Director General of the PDP Presidential Campaign, Aminu Tambuwal had met with the Benue Governor in Makurdi.

A top party source confirmed to Daily Sun that in the aftermath of the Emmanuel/Wike/ Ortom parley in Port Harcourt, last Saturday, some concerned PDP leaders have been making more concerted efforts to broker truce between the party and the aggrieved governors.