Wike, G-5 Governors Arrive Port Harcourt After London Meeting

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, and other aggrieved governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have arrived in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

Known as the G5 or the Integrity Group, the members include their host, Wike (Rivers), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia).

The five governors have demanded the resignation of the PDP National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu as a precondition to support the presidential ambition of Atiku Abubakar in the 2023 elections.

On Wednesday, the governors had jetted to the United Kingdom over what may have been described as a strategic meeting. This followed the uncertainty surrounding the choice of their preferred presidential candidate for the 2023 general elections.

Although the governors have refused to back the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar on the ground that he and the party’s National Chairman are from the same northern region, they have consistently demanded that a Southerner emerges as Nigeria’s next President.

However, in London, there were reports of the G5 governors striking a deal with the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, although there is no official confirmation of this.

But Wike had earlier explained that he would reveal his choice of presidential candidate to support in January 2023. Some analysts believe that the Rivers leader may back Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party owing to his large following among the youths.