After gallivanting around the world, engaging in anti-party activities by making unguarded utterances against their party to catch headlines, negotiating with the presidential candidates of rival parties and openly courting the leaders of opposition parties, the G-5 governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State have not yet demonstrated courage to publicly unveil their choice of presidential candidate.
Governors Wike, Seyi Makinde (Oyo State), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu State), Samuel Ortom (Benue State) and Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State fell out with their presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar over the refusal of the National Chairman of the party, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu to relinquish his position to a southerner.
When information filtered in last month that the G-5 had reached a final agreement with the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, Nigerians, particularly their supporters, had awaited a public announcement by Wike’s camp. But the “fearless” group who had vowed to fight for “justice and fairness” has not mustered the courage to publicly unveil their choice.
While Wike and Makinde were said to have agreed to openly work for Tinubu, Ugwuanyi and Ikpeazu reportedly agreed to work silently for the former Lagos State governor to avoid the wrath of the supporters of the Labour Party (LP), who have the capacity to frustrate their political ambitions in the South-east. Ortom, on the other hand, opted to work for Obi. But none has made any public pronouncement. Even Ortom, in his press statement supporting Obi, acknowledged that as a member of the PDP, he would not lead Obi’s campaign.
According to media reports, Ugwuanyi was on hand to welcome Tinubu for the APC presidential campaign in the state on Wednesday but did not utter any word to show his supporters that the former Lagos State governor is his preferred choice. Where then is the G-5 governors’ courage to fight “injustice”? Many believe the governors are fighting for their selfish interests.
(ThisDay) Nigeria
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