Indication emerged on Thursday that the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has struck a deal with the members of the G-5, the five aggrieved governors who are members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Daily Trust had exclusively reported on Wednesday that Tinubu and the five governors will meet in Europe where a deal on their alliance for the 2023 presidency would be struck.
An impeccable source close to Tinubu told this paper that the meeting was held on Wednesday at the London residence of the APC presidential candidate.
He said all the G-5 governors; Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), attended the meeting.
In attendance from the side of Tinubu included Governor of Jigawa State, Badaru Abubakar and former governor of Ekiti State, John Kayode Fayemi.
Before the commencement of the meeting, the source said all other persons present at Tinubu’s residence were excused.
“We have agreed to work together with the G5. The agreement rhythm with our desire to forge together a government of national unity.
“When the history of this political epoch is written, the names of Wike, Ortom, Makinde, Ugwuanyi and Ikpeazu will be written in gold for the courageous decision to place national interest above all other considerations,” he said.
He also said that the governors are to remain in PDP and work for the actualisation of Tinubu’s presidency while pursuing their other political interests.
Another source close to a sitting governor confirmed the meeting but added that they are still fine-tuning the modalities of the alliance for the benefit of all parties.
The crisis rocking the PDP revolves around the five governors. Since former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar emerged as the flag bearer of their party, they have been calling for the resignation of the PDP national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu.
The five PDP governors were unavailable for comments last night as they were yet to return to the country. Wike had recently foreclosed supporting Atiku, saying he would make his candidate for the presidency known to the public next month.
The governors have been weighing options between Tinubu and the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi. Daily Trust could not establish if all the five governors will support Tinubu at the end of the day considering the peculiarities of their stake in the political permutations.
Govs will be sanctioned if … – PDP
The PDP said it will not hesitate to bring the full weight of its constitution to bear on any member that goes contrary to its laid down rules and regulations no matter how highly placed.
Reacting to the romance of the governors with Tinubu and Obi, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Debo Ologunagba, told Daily Trust that the party will not spare any member that violates the constitution of the party.
Ologunagba disclosed that everything was still in the realm of speculation but if anything untoward happens, the PDP is a “Party that deals with rules and laws, we have our organs and processes and we follow our rules. The party takes action after due consideration of all the issues.
“So when those things happen, the constitution of the party will deal with them. We are a party that is very organised, united and concerned about the elections and Nigerian people, but that does not mean that if anybody, no matter how highly placed, goes contrary to the provision of the constitution of the party, the constitution will not kick in.”
By Ismail Mudashir, Baba Martins (Abuja), Abiodun Alade (Lagos), Hope A. Emmanuel (Makurdi) & Victor Edozie (Port Harcourt).
Source: Daily Trust