Since Atiku Abubakar won the presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in May 2022, he鈥檚 known no peace from people within his own party. A group of PDP governors known as the G5 frustrating his sixth attempt to become Nigeria鈥檚 president.
The G5 recently , in Lagos State in a bid to resolve the conflict within the party just three months to the 2023 presidential election. Here are the key takeaways from the meeting:
- The G5 members had a 鈥渘aming ceremony鈥 and decided to call themselves the 鈥淚ntegrity Group鈥.
- They鈥檙e now open to 鈥渞econciliation talks鈥 to resolve all conflicts in the party.
But, who exactly are these G5 members?
[Source: Vanguard]
Nyesom Wike 鈥 Rivers State
[Source: Vanguard]
If we鈥檙e talking about PDP OGs, Wike is definitely one of them, which is why it鈥檚 not a surprise he鈥檚 the G5鈥檚 ringleader.
He began his political career as the in Rivers in 1999. In 2007, he was appointed the , Rotimi Amaechi.
In July 2011, President Goodluck Jonathan appointed him as the Minister of State for Education and promoted him to Minister of Education in September 2013. He then stepped down as a minister to in Rivers State.
With his second term as governor ending in 2023, he contested for the PDP鈥檚 presidential ticket but lost to Atiku. After his loss, Wike has been on a rampage and has done everything in his power .
Wike has also been pushing for the resignation of Iyiorcha Ayu, as he believes the party鈥檚 national chairman as the presidential candidate. He鈥檚 also made numerous allegations against the chairman to force his resignation. It鈥檚 been an endless battle, and we can only wonder if these reconciliation talks will be for good this time.
Seyi Makinde 鈥 Oyo State
[Source: Punch]
says that Seyi Makinde is the 鈥渂est governor in Nigeria鈥 but what makes him tick? Makinde, unlike Wike, hasn鈥檛 always been a member of the PDP. He as a candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in 2007 but lost. He joined the PDP in 2010 to contest the Oyo South senatorial district a second time and lost again.
But if there鈥檚 one thing we know for sure, it鈥檚 that Makinde never says never. He lost the PDP鈥檚 Oyo governorship ticket in 2014, and moved to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) to contest the 2015 governorship election, which he lost before he returned to the PDP to win the 2019 governorship election.
Since then, there have been as governor, from renovating 299 primary healthcare centers to regular pension payments for civil service workers in Oyo State.
With the 2023 elections, however, Makinde seems to be switching to the other side of the fence again, as he鈥檚 been seen to be supporting the . Even Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) candidate, has met Makinde , which raises many questions.
Samuel Ortom 鈥 Benue State
[Source: Vanguard]
Interestingly, Ortom in 2015 as a member of the APC. However, he due to an 鈥渋nternal crisis鈥 and won re-election in 2019. Ortom鈥檚 reign hasn鈥檛 had so much of a smooth run, and has been tainted by communal crises that have claimed thousands of lives.
He鈥檚 one of the G5鈥檚 loudest voices against Atiku and recently clashed with the candidate over his stance on the Fulani herdsmen blamed for attacks in Benue. He also believes a , which is possibly why he went all the way to Labour Party to give instead.
Okezie Ikpeazu 鈥 Abia State
[Source: Vanguard]
Ikpeazu isn鈥檛 an alien to controversy as he was accused of during the 2015 elections and was sacked as governor. However, he appealed the court ruling and won, and he was even successful in running for a second term.
Since then, he has been accused of to his own personal companies and has been flagged by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) as the .
Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi 鈥 Enugu State
[Source: Premium Times]
If the G5 was a secondary school classroom, Ugwuanyi would be the quiet boy sitting in front.
Once a , he鈥檚 serving his second term as the governor of Enugu State since his first victory in 2015. He鈥檚 known for the of key roads in Enugu, including internal roads in Nsukka and Achi.
