Breaking: President Tinubu Meets Wike, Makinde, Other G5 Members [Photos]

Published

1 year ago

October 18, 2023

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Tuesday met with members of the ‘G5 governors’ of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that worked against their party’s presidential candidate, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, in the 2023 election.

CityNews Nigeria understands that the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, was also at the meeting with the G5 group.

The G5 group is made up of Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state as well as former Governors Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu).

President Bola Tinubu met with members of G5 or the Integrity Group at the Aso Villa, Abuja.

Although details of the meeting were sketchy as at the time of filing this report, it was gathered that a working relationship between the president and the former governors was what was tabled.

A source privy to the meeting who pleaded anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the issue told Vanguard, “The G-5 PDP Governors first met in Wike’s residence for a few hours before heading to the Villa to meet with the president.

“Exact details of what was discussed isn’t available to me at the moment, but from discussions held during the initial meeting at Wike’s residence, it was all about finding accommodation for the former governors in the scheme of things and of course, how they can work together.”

The group, led by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, caused a major division within the PDP after demanding the then National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, step down for a southern replacement as a precondition to support the presidential ambition of the party’s flag bearer in the February 25 poll.

Both Atiku and Ayu called the then governors’ bluff and did not succumb to their demands in the just-concluded elections.

Makinde and Wike reportedly played supportive roles to ensure Tinubu’s victory at the polls, while Ortom backed the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Peter Obi.