Politics
2023: G-5 PDP Governors Agree To Support Tinubu For Presidency
The five aggrieved Peoples Democratic Party governors have demanded the support of the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, for the PDP governorship and senatorial candidates in their respective states, according to a PUNCH report.
It was gathered on Thursday that this was part of the conditions presented to Tinubu during his meeting with the PDP governors in London, United Kingdom, on Tuesday.
In attendance at the meeting were Governors Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Samuel Ortom (Benue) and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu states.
The governors alongside Donald Duke, Jonah Jang, Olusegun Mimiko, former governors of Cross River, Ondo and Plateau states, respectively, as well as a Board of Trustees member, Chief Bode George, are defiant in their call for the removal of Iyorchia Ayu as the national chairman of the party.
A reliable source disclosed that the five governors were concerned about their political careers and sought assurances from Tinubu.
Though Wike is not contesting for any position in the 2023 elections, he was said to be concerned about his protégé, Siminalayi Fubara, who is the Rivers State PDP governorship candidate and the PDP senatorial candidates in the state.
On the other hand, Makinde is running for a second term while Ortom will be contesting as the Benue North-West Senatorial District candidate in the polls.
Also, Ikpeazu is the PDP candidate for Abia South Senatorial District and Ugwuanyi is running for the Enugu North Senatorial District.
However, there are different accounts of the final decisions of both the governors and Tinubu on the demand.
A source close to Tinubu told newsmen that a final agreement could not be reached as a result of the ‘complex demands’ by the governors.
According to him, the PDP governors made an overture to Tinubu to guarantee both the senatorial and governorship seats in their states, a demand the former Lagos State governor could not grant immediately as he needed to consult with his advisers and loyalists.
The APC chieftain confided in our correspondent that Tinubu may not be willing to concede to the demand with less than two months to the 2023 elections.
He said, “The G-5 governors do not hold the four aces. As it stands, they are actually seeking shelter. The major hitch we have is that all the members of the G-5 demanded for the governorship and senatorial seats in exchange for the big prize.
“Now, the question is, are we going to throw our people in Rivers, Plateau and Benue under the bus? I am worried about Benue, where we have low-hanging fruits. Of course, it is obvious we are set to win Benue with Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia, who we are sure will sweep the governorship poll.
“There is also the APC governorship candidate (Teslim) Folarin who is prominent in Oyo. These are complex situations we are still grappling with and I can tell you that is where we are. The PDP governors are astute people who are very good in politics.’’
The source also noted that there were increasing pressures on the APC presidential candidate to call the bluff of the Integrity Group by not conceding any positions to them.
Except for Rivers, the party chieftain said it had been projected that Benue and Oyo would fall because of the volume of mobilisation campaigns that had been carried out in the two states.
“Whether Makinde likes it or not, Oyo will fall. Abia has never been our ground. We also lost in Enugu and Benue in 2019 where we failed to get 25 per cent. Yet, we still won the presidency.
“I can tell you without Ortom, we have a very good chance of winning Benue in 2023 with Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia. But we know Rivers State is where we are very vulnerable and may need Wike to push up. These are the five states that we lost yet won the presidential election in 2019.
“The truth, however, remains that Asiwaju knows that these five states are not the tipping points to win. It is just to make his victory double sure that we have to pitch tent with them. But as I told you, they are not in a position to stamp their feet, draw the line and impose conditions on Asiwaju. Their support is inevitable because these governors really have nowhere else to go,” he said confidently.
On whether there is a chance Tinubu might meet the group again in January before they announce their preferred candidate, the politician disclosed that the negotiation had not ended.
He said, “It is an ongoing conversation. The point is that Asiwaju must carry the people (candidates) within those states along with our internal structures. Asiwaju must consider these factors before opting for a pyrrhic victory. He will talk to other leaders of our party.”
But a source in the PDP governors’ camp confirmed the demand they placed before Tinubu. He, however, said that a decision had been taken regarding the governors’ support for the APC standard bearer.
“Agreements have been reached and decisions have been taken. The announcement will be made in January. The people will be informed on the decisions that have been made,” he said.
On his part, the Media Director of the Tinubu-Shettima presidential campaign council, Bayo Onanuga, declined comments on the issue.
Onanuga stated that aside from knowing that the governors were backing his principal, he had no idea about their alleged conditions.
“I don’t want to speculate on this issue. I don’t know what was discussed. But I know that the G-5 governors are backing Bola Tinubu. I can’t go further than that.
“After all, the governors said they will announce their preferred candidate in January. Why not wait for them?” he stated.
Also, a presidential aide, Bashir Ahmad, in a tweet on Thursday, stated, “The offer put forward by the five governors was fantastically positive. That will definitely help us seal our victory. Let us do it together.”
The spokesman for the Tinubu-Shettima presidential campaign council, Festus Keyamo, also shied away from discussing the G-5 demands.
Instead, he blamed the leadership of the PDP for the woes in the party.
Keyamo disclosed that he had always known long before now that collapsing the zoning process to accommodate the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, would lead to the implosion of the party.
He stated, “The PDP has turned to a caricature that people now laugh at. We always knew the PDP implosion will come even before the primaries. We were waiting for it to happen.
“When it was very obvious to zone the presidency to the South, the PDP was too scared to take the bold step. Whereas, this same thing could have happened to us if the Northern APC governors had not risen to the challenge boldly and zoned the presidency to the South.
“Even when the ruling party was dilly-dallying on the issue, the governors took the bull by the horn and zoned it to save the APC from this kind of implosion the PDP is having. This is what they should have done. They actually met and agreed the presidency should come to the South in Asaba but (Delta State governor, Ifeanyi) Okowa stabbed them in the back.’’
Meanwhile, there are indications that the aggrieved PDP governors would arrive in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital on Friday (today) after their meeting with Tinubu in the UK.
The PUNCH gathered that they equally met with a former Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, who has been in detention in London for alleged involvement in an attempted organ harvesting since June.
A close aide of one of the governors dismissed the threat by the PDP leadership to sanction the governors, saying they did nothing wrong to warrant the invocation of relevant provisions of the party constitution on the discipline of members.
The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity stated, “They will brief the press tomorrow (today) as soon as they arrive in Port Harcourt. They may speak on their preferred candidate of course but their stand is that the party cannot sanction them because they have not done anything wrong.
‘’As it is, they believe they are championing a cause backed by the PDP constitution in matters of fairness and equity. So, their argument is that they are on track in demanding that after eight years of Presidency in the North; the South should be supported to have a shot at it.’’
In his reaction, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Debo Ologunagba told newsmen that the PDP would not address the issue until the governors speak on their preferred candidate, saying, “Ours is a party of order and rules. Until we get to the bridge, we won’t cross it.”
On his part, the immediate past National Secretary of the party and member of NEC, Ibrahim Tsauri said the leadership of the party would act at the appropriate time.
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has demanded the immediate disclosure of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s whereabouts and health status following his absence from the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
The NDC made the demand in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, on Monday, September 28, 2026, expressing what it described as “profound disappointment and grave concern” over Tinubu’s absence from the gathering of world leaders.
ALSO READ: ‘Where Is Nigeria’s President?’ — Obi Questions Tinubu’s Third Straight UNGA Absence
According to the party, this marks the third consecutive time since Tinubu assumed office in 2023 that the President has failed to attend UNGA in person.
The NDC said Nigerians had for weeks been told by Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim, that President Tinubu would attend the General Assembly and would be seated close to United States President Donald Trump.
The party, however, said the Presidency announced on September 20 that Vice President Kashim Shettima had been “mandated” to lead Nigeria’s delegation to the UNGA.
The NDC also questioned Tinubu’s reported extended stay in Europe, saying the President left Nigeria on August 30 and extended his stay in Paris indefinitely.
The party alleged that the President had spent more than three weeks outside the country on what it described as a “so-called vacation” without formally transmitting power.
The NDC described the situation as “unpresidential, unconstitutional, and unacceptable,” arguing that the country had been left without the President physically present in Nigeria and without the President attending the UNGA.
NDC Raises Constitutional Questions
The party cited Section 145 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which provides for the President to transmit a written declaration to the National Assembly when proceeding on vacation or otherwise unable to discharge the functions of office.
The NDC alleged that Tinubu did not formally transmit such a declaration during his extended absence.
The party questioned why, in its words, the President was “always afraid” of transmitting a written declaration to the National Assembly.
It further alleged that at one point Nigeria was effectively on “autopilot,” claiming that the President, Vice President and Senate President were all outside the country.
The NDC therefore called for compliance with Section 145 whenever the President is away or unable to perform the functions of his office.
NDC Questions Diplomatic Cost Of UNGA Absence
The party also challenged the significance of Nigeria being represented by the Vice President rather than the President at the UNGA.
The NDC argued that the annual gathering is more than the formal speeches delivered by world leaders, stressing that UNGA provides opportunities for presidents and heads of government to hold bilateral meetings and negotiate issues affecting their countries.
According to the party, such engagements include discussions on foreign direct investment, debt relief, climate finance, global financial reforms and security cooperation.
The NDC claimed that Nigeria’s absence at the presidential level could result in what it described as losses in direct foreign investment engagements, leverage on global financial reform, strategic security partnerships and Nigeria’s international standing.
The party also argued that the development could diminish Nigeria’s position as the “Giant of Africa.”
It maintained that presidential diplomacy cannot simply be outsourced to representatives.
NDC Contrasts Nigeria’s UNGA Presence With Ghana
The NDC further compared Nigeria’s representation at UNGA with the participation of Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama.
The party said Mahama delivered what it described as a “statesmanlike performance” at UNGA 81, addressing issues including Africa’s position on debt justice, climate reparations and restoring trust in multilateralism.
The NDC said that while Ghana commanded attention at the gathering, Nigeria’s presidential seat was empty.
“Mahama spoke for Africa; Nigeria was spoken for,” the party stated.
NDC Criticises 15-Minute Speech Explanation
The party also criticised comments attributed to Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim concerning the duration of a presidential speech at the General Assembly.
The NDC said the argument that President Tinubu could not travel to New York merely “to speak for just 15 minutes” demonstrated, in its view, a misunderstanding of international diplomacy.
According to the party, every world leader is allocated a limited speaking period at the General Assembly, but the importance of UNGA extends beyond the formal speeches.
The NDC argued that the remaining time is used for high-level bilateral engagements, negotiations and diplomatic interactions, describing these activities as the “corridor diplomacy” through which important international decisions are pursued.
The party said the President’s absence therefore meant that Nigeria could not personally participate in those presidential-level engagements.
NDC Issues Three Demands
The NDC called for the immediate disclosure of President Tinubu’s whereabouts and health status.
It also demanded that the President comply with Section 145 of the Constitution whenever he is proceeding on vacation or otherwise unable to discharge the functions of his office.
The party further called for an end to what it described as an “imperial presidency” that treats accountability as an afterthought.
The NDC said Nigeria, with more than 200 million citizens, could not be effectively governed through delegation and press releases.
“A nation of over 200 million people cannot be run by delegation and press release. Nigeria deserves a president who is present,” the statement said.
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has received political office seekers formerly affiliated with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and their supporters from four states ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The defectors are from Jigawa, Plateau, Taraba and Zamfara states.
SEE MORE: 2027: APC Chairman Yilwatda Leads Three-Day Strategic Retreat in Borno
The group, led by Mohammed Hassan Mai Solar and Aslan Aliyu, said their decision to join the ruling APC was influenced by what they described as the achievements of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
They also cited the political structure of the APC, which they said promotes trust, a level playing field and justice for all.
Receiving the defectors, APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, highlighted what he described as major transformations taking place across Northern Nigeria.
Yilwatda pointed to developments in road infrastructure, energy reforms, the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) and various empowerment initiatives as notable programmes of the Tinubu administration.
He urged the new members and their supporters to rally behind the APC, stressing the importance of continuity and progress.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has intensified preparations for the 2027 General Election, with its Chairman, Professor Joash O. Amupitan, SAN, directing officials to identify and close operational gaps ahead of the polls.
Amupitan gave the directive on Monday in Kaduna during the North-West Zonal Interactive Meeting with Staff and Readiness Assessment for the 2027 General Election.
SEE MORE: 2023 Election: ‘If Something Fishy Went Down, Ask INEC’ — Gov Sule
The meeting forms part of INEC’s six-zone national readiness assessment aimed at evaluating the Commission’s preparedness, identifying challenges affecting its field operations and developing practical solutions ahead of the 2027 elections.
Declaring the North-West zonal engagement open, Amupitan said the exercise was aimed at strengthening the foundations of the country’s electoral process and ensuring that avoidable weaknesses do not undermine the credibility of the 2027 elections.
He stressed that the success of any election is largely determined at the grassroots, particularly at the Local Government Areas, Registration Area Centres and polling units where electoral officials interact directly with voters.
“The true success of any election is not decided solely in the meeting rooms of our headquarters in Abuja. It is decided in the field,” Amupitan said.
The INEC chairman urged staff to use the engagement to present practical challenges confronting election administration in their respective areas and work with the Commission’s headquarters to develop solutions before election day.
He said INEC was building on lessons from recent elections as it prepares for the larger national assignment in 2027.
Amupitan also warned electoral officials against partisan conduct and administrative negligence, stressing that neutrality and professionalism among field personnel would be critical to maintaining public confidence in the electoral process.
As part of its preparations for the 2027 elections, the Commission is also scheduled to commence Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) collection on October 9.
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