2027: G-5 Governors Will Still Support Tinubu — Ortom

Former Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, says the G5 group within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.

Ortom made this known on Sunday at a luncheon hosted by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

Wike, an ex-governor of Rivers donned a black shirt and a butter-coloured jacket and was flanked by Ortom and another G5 member, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu).

The G5, a group of five then-governors within the PDP, rejected Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential candidate before the 2023 poll last February. The G5 backed a southern candidate in the person of Tinubu.

The G5 include Ortom, Wike, Ugwuanyi, Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Seyi Makinde (Oyo). All the members of the group finished their second term of eight years as governor last May except Makinde who is now in his second term.

Addressing the gathering crowded with Wike’s allies on Sunday, Ortom said the G5 has no regret for supporting Tinubu’s victory in the last poll, declaring that the group will again back the ex-Lagos governor for a second term in office as Nigeria’s President.

Ortom said, “If we work to ensure Bola Ahmed succeeds, there will be tomorrow for anybody to even contest the election at all.

“Our leader, Nyesom Wike, has already made a declaration that in 2027, we are supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“We have nowhere to go because that is what Nigerians believe. Even the past administration that took Nigeria from top to bottom, we allowed them to work for eight years. So, why can’t a seasoned administrator in the person President Bola Ahmed Tinubu rule us for eight years?” he asked, assuring Nigerians that Tinubu will fix security, economy and other critical areas of challenge to the citizens.