The group of five People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governors known as G5 governors, have left Nigeria for London to reach an agreement on who to support between Bola Tinubu and Peter Obi for the presidency in 2023.
The group led by the Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, has in continuation of its endless foreign trips, left the country for London in the early hours of Monday.
The group which includes Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Seyi Makinde (Oyo) and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) had mobilised other party leaders including Chief Bode George, Prof Jerry Gana, etc. to form the ‘Integrity Group’ against Atiku.
It was gathered that while two of the governors are rooting for Peter Obi, candidate of the Labour Party, three are in support of Bola Tinubu, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The group of governors it was gathered jetted off from the Port Harcourt International Airport.
A top party chieftain in the state who pleaded anonymity, confirmed the trip.
“Yes, they left for UK early yesterday morning, but I can’t say the reason for the trip,” the source said.
The G-5 governors have been calling for the resignation of the PDP’s National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, as their minimum condition for peace in the party and to join the presidential campaign council of the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
Wike, the leader of the quartet, has refused to accept his defeat at the party’s presidential primary in good faith.
Since he lost the primary and even the vice presidential slot, Wike has utilised the enormous resources at his disposal to mobilise four other governors to fabricate crisis in the party.
The aggrieved governors have insisted that it was unfair for the party to have the national chairman and presidential candidate from the north.
They have maintained that they will not go back on their call for Ayu to step down to pave the way for a Southerner to succeed him as the party’s chairman.
Wike had specifically boasted that Atiku will not win the election if he and his allies do not support his presidential ambition.
A source said Wike and his team will use the opportunity of the London trip discuss the way forward on the crisis rocking the party while in London.
The source added that from London, the group of governors would also visit Madrid, Spain.
Top on the agenda for the meeting is who they would support for president in the 2023 election.
