G-5 governors tighten the noose on PDP presidential candidate
THE crisis that has been rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) since after its national convention has taken a dangerous dimension, with the aggrieved governors openly declaring they would not work for the victory of their party’s presidential candidate.
The five aggrieved governors of the PDP did not hide their disgust over the outcome of the party’s national convention that produced former vice president Atiku Abubakar as its standard bearer ahead of the 2023 general election.
Led by Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, the G-5 have been holding both secret and open meetings to strategise on how best to press home their demand on the national chairman of the PDP, Senator Iyorchia Ayu to resign his position for a southerner to occupy having promised to do so if a northerner becomes a presidential candidate at the convention.
Although the G-5 governors comprising Nyesom Wike of Rivers, Seyi Makinde of Oyo, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia, Ifeanyi of Enugu states were in Makurdi, Benue State on working visit to commission roads and electricity projects on invitation of one of them, Samuel Ortom, the cat was let out of the bag of the real reasons why they converged on Benue for two days.
At both the command performance at the Benue Peoples House and the IBB Square, the G-5 governors did not hide their feelings when they took time to vent their anger over continuous occupation of the office of the national chairman by Ayu and the killing of Benue people by Fulani terrorists without condemnation by Atiku Abubakar and Ayu.
Governor Ortom, who took his turn, told the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku to go to hell as he
would not support his presidential bid to continue the killing of Benue people. He lamented the recent killing of 18 people in Guma Local Government Area by Fulani terrorists where a young man in his 20s had his eyes removed was to send a message to him. “To hell with Atiku and anyone supporting him. They should go and tell him. You want me to be slave to a Fulani. It’s better I die. Anybody supporting Atiku is an enemy of Benue.
“My people are being killed and you want me to be quiet. My tenure ends on 29th May, 2023, and you can do whatever you want if you think you have the powers. I have written my will. When I gave it to my wife, she cried all night. If I die at 62, many of my mates have gone long time ago and if I die today, I’m a fulfilled person but let it be recorded that I will die resisting the invasion and killing of my people.
“I will never support a Fulani man to become president. If there is another person who is ready to work with me and ensure the security of my people, I will work with him,” he said.
He said that Governor Wike holds a title as the Eagle of Tiv land, noting that when he, Ortom, was attacked by Fulani terrorists in Makurdi some time ago, Wike was the first person who roared that, “kill Ortom and you have killed the whole Nigeria”; adding that Wike did not keep quiet when Benue was under siege, and visited with stakeholders from Rivers State and committed N250 million and subsequently, committed over N700 million to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPS), in the state.
Ortom condemned some Benue sons, particularly those at the National Assembly who are keeping mute over the killings going on in
the state and are romancing with President Muhammadu Buhari, expressing belief that the PDP will win the 2023 election because Benue is PDP and warned anyone planning to rig election in the next year to have a rethink because the consequences are grave.
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, said the G-5 PDP governors are out to save the country from the present condition of total collapse.
“The G-5 are the integrity governors and anyone can challenge us. We have come to give Governor Samuel Ortom solidarity support for the flag off of campaigns in Benue and to tell Benue people that we are with Governor Ortom. Like us or hate us, we are with Ortom. You cannot break us. We are bonded together.
According to him, “leadership is risk taking,” pointing out that whether you like him or not, Ortom has shown leadership quality and reiterated his call on the National Chairman of the PDP, Senator Iyorchia Ayu to respect agreements that he will resign if the presidential candidate of the party comes from the north.
He called on Nigerians to be weary because those who cannot keep to agreements now that they are yet to go into office, even when they get there, they won’t keep to agreements or promises.
“We are here to support a man with whom you can sleep with your two eyes closed; your Governor is a man who believes in his people; your Governor is a man who can die for his people. Somebody who cannot change from whatever it takes because he believes first that Benue must survive and that is why we have all left everything we are doing in our states to come and give you support to tell you that anything Ortom tells you to do, do it; it will be for the interest of Benue State.
“This man is a gift to the people of Benue state. We have come to support the people of Benue state to win elections and God in his infinite mercy will deliver the people of Benue state,” Wike said.
Okezie Ikpeazu, Abia State governor, in his speech, said the issue at stake is about Benue people choosing between life over death and acknowledged efforts Governor Ortom has made to cry out about the plight of Benue State.
“Anybody who takes us away from our farms; takes our lives away; therefore, I will ask and urge the people of Benue State to follow Governor Ortom. Follow somebody who knows the road. I believe that Ortom is the Moses of PDP that will take Benue to Canaan land. My prayer is that Benue people will be wise once again. They will follow Titus Uba and all PDP candidates in the state,” Ikpeazu said.