G5 PDP Governors
Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal has said that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has lawful ways of dealing with erring members, in an apparent response to the antics of the G5 governors lead by Nyesom Wike of Rivers.
The G5 governors under the aegis of the Integrity Group, includes Wike, Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), and Seyi Makinde (Oyo). Their grudge is that the PDP National Chairman Iyorchia Ayu, a northerner, must resign because another northerner, Atiku Abubakar, is the party’s presidential candidate.
Wike and his group had openly held meetings with main opposition presidential candidates to the chagrin of the leadership of the PDP.
But in his response to allegations of meetings being held with the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, Wike said on Friday that he and his friends in the G5 had not struck a deal with any presidential candidate ahead of next year’s election.
But in a swift response to the G5, Tambuwal has warned the Rivers governor and others allegedly planning to go against the interests of the PDP.
“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will respond to the antics of five of its Governors currently being speculated to be in political dalliance with the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Tambuwal said through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Muhammad Bello in a statement on Friday.
“For hours before his remarks there has been reports that the G-5 PDP Governors led by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state have been meeting with Tinubu in London on the possibility of their teaming up to work for his victory in the forthcoming presidential elections.
“According to Governor Tambuwal, who is also the Director General of the Atiku/Okowa presidential campaign organization, the PDP is a law-abiding party; and it would explore lawful avenues to bring any of its erring members to book.”
Tambuwal was quoted as saying he engages in political engineering and political negotiations with the G5 members, whom he described as “good colleagues.”
“It is not a war of attrition. I always submit that in this our business, whatever it is that you are doing , even if you try to hide it, it will come out. You cannot plan and execute a political project in your own bedroom. You must come out with it.
“So, when my colleagues resolve on what to do, I think it is then that the party will now respond on whatever position they have taken,” he said.
