2023: Confusion as presidency claims talks with G-5 Governors

The last may not have been heard about the position of the G-5 Governors led by Nyesom Wike of Rivers State over which presidential candidate to support ahead of the 2023 general election, as the presidency claims it is also talking with the group.

A statement released by the special assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Digital Communications, Bashir Ahmad, on Thursday evening, claimed that the ruling All Progressive Congress ( APC) may have also reached out to the dissenting Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors, to get their support ahead of the February 25, 2023 presidential election.

Bashir had indicated on his Twitter handle that the G-5 Governors have forwarded an offer, which he claimed will help the APC seal an imminent victory in 2023.

The national publicity secretary of the APC, Felix Morka, could not immediately confirm the authenticity of this claim.
Morka, in a telephone talk with the BusinessDay in Abuja, described the information as “new”, but promised to make a public pronouncement, as soon as details are available to him.
“I am not aware of this development yet. I don’t have any information on this at the moment. But be rest assured that I will make it public as soon as I confirm it” he said.

Aside from Wike, other members of the g-5 Governors are Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia State), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Seyi Makinde (Oyo) and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu).

Read also: 2023: Why G5 Governors may endorse Peter Obi – Source

The governors had travelled out of the country to London on Monday for what is considered a “strategic meeting”, ahead of their plans to unveil who the group will back in the February presidential election.

There were reports that the governors had agreed to throw their weight behind the Labour Party candidate, Peter Obi
The governors, who are expected back to the country on Friday, December 30, are expected to make their position known, early January, 2023.

The G-5 Governors who are all members of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) had earlier vowed not to support the candidate of the party, Atiku Abubakar, unless the national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu resigns from his position to create a room for a southerner.

BusinessDay gathered that the group had put forward the name of former Ondo state governor, Olusegun Mimiko as Ayu’s replacement. They had argued that Ayu’s continued stay as the PDP national chairman violates Article 7(2)(c) of the party which dwells on power sharing between the north and south in the party.

The G-5 Governors argue that it was morally wrong for both the party’s presidential candidate and the national chairman to come from the same region, in violation of the party’s constitution.