PDP to expel 5 governors, dissolves party structures for not supporting Atiku
Members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) G-5 Governors Forum which consists of Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State and Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State maybe expelled by the party if they announce support for any presidential candidate other than the party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
ThisDay reports that a source, who is a member of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council, said that another measure being considered by the leadership of the main opposition party was the dissolution of the party structures in the respective states of the G-5 Governors, who are also referred to as the ‘Integrity Group’, and establish caretaker committees to run the affairs of the party in the five states.
According to the source who plead for anonymity, taking such action would affect the political ambition of Makinde, who is seeking re-election as governor and Okezie, Ortom and Ikpeazu, who are all contesting for the senatorial seats in their respective states.
“Dissolving the party structure will also affect their loyalists who are contesting for different positions under the PDP in Abia, Rivers, Oyo, Benue and Enugu,” the source added.
On Monday, PDP governors travelled to the United Kingdom for what could be described as a strategic meeting.
The governors led by Governor Wike of Rivers State have been calling for the resignation of the PDP’s National Chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, as their minimum condition for peace in the party and to join the presidential campaign council of the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku.
Atiku defeated Wike at the party’s presidential primary who is yet to accept the defeat in good faith.
Since he lost the primary and even the vice presidential slot, Wike has utilised the enormous resources at his disposal to mobilise four other governors to fabricate crisis in the party.
The aggrieved governors have been working against their party for months since Wike failed to clinch the vice presidential running mate to Atiku Abubakar. They have been insisting that Iyorcha Ayu, the national chairman of their party must quit for a Southerner as a measure to let peace reign in the party.
Wike had specifically boasted that Atiku would not win the election if he and his allies do not support his presidential ambition. Top on the agenda for their meeting in London is who they would support as president in the 2023 election.
THISDAY had reported that barring any last minute change in political permutations, the group may have concluded plans to endorse the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi.
Obi with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke and four of the G5 governors met in London last August.
Last week, Wike said he would reveal the presidential candidate they will mobilise votes for in the 2023 general elections.
Many have urged the party to move against Wike and his group by expelling them for unpardonable anti party activities but the party has refrained
from taking such actions. But the more the party tolerated the excesses of the governors, the more emboldened they have become.
Governor Wike in particular has been boastful about his capacity to do damage to the party. Recently, he shut down Atiku’s campaign office in Port Harcourt.
