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 National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, has dismissed claims that the ruling party is responsible for the internal crises and defections rocking opposition parties, insisting that Peter Obi’s history of switching political parties predates the APC government.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television on Tuesday, Yilwatda said Obi had been changing political platforms since 2014 and was never forced out of any party by the APC.
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Responding to allegations that the ruling party had orchestrated divisions within opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections, Yilwatda maintained that the APC had no role in Obi’s departures from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party, African Democratic Congress (ADC), or his eventual move to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
“Nobody in APC chased Peter Obi out of PDP. Nobody from APC chased Obi out of the Labour Party. Nobody in APC chased him out of the Labour Party to ADC or chased him out of ADC again to NDC,” he said.
He added that Obi’s pattern of changing political parties began long before the APC assumed power.
“He started moving from his party long before now, during the time of President Jonathan in 2014. It means that APC has been the person chasing him from 2015 till date, when we were even opposition?” Yilwatda said.
The APC chairman described the challenges facing opposition parties as self-inflicted, arguing that many politicians frequently move from one political platform to another in search of opportunities.
“This is a group of people who have a self-inflicted wound. Every day, they move from party to party,” he stated.
Yilwatda also claimed that Obi left the ADC after discovering he could not secure an automatic presidential ticket before joining the NDC, where he eventually emerged as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
“When he left Labour Party, he moved to ADC. He came to ADC, he discovered that he couldn’t get an automatic ticket. That’s why he left to NDC. And in NDC now, he has gotten his ticket,” he said.
He argued that if the APC truly intended to destabilise Obi politically, the ruling party would have prevented him from obtaining the NDC presidential ticket.
Yilwatda further denied allegations that APC members had infiltrated opposition parties to create instability.
“There’s no single member of APC that is in ADC. No single member of APC that is in NDC,” he said.
However, he acknowledged that persuading politicians from other parties to join the APC is part of his responsibility as national chairman.
“Of course, we do it. We move around. That’s even the role. That’s my role as national party chairman. It’s part of my role… To galvanise and mobilise the party,” he added.
The APC chairman also dismissed suggestions that politicians who defect to the ruling party are shielded from corruption investigations.
“Never. Most people who are in APC have still been prosecuted,” he said.
His remarks come amid continued accusations by Obi and other opposition leaders that the APC is fuelling internal crises within rival parties as part of preparations for the 2027 general elections.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has officially inaugurated its National Campaign Council for the August 15, 2026, Osun State governorship election, declaring the contest a “must-win” battle and a major test of the party’s preparedness for the 2027 general elections.
The 276-member campaign council, chaired by Imo State Governor and Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, Hope Uzodimma, was inaugurated in Abuja on Tuesday by APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda.
Speaking at the event, Yilwatda said the APC would deploy its extensive political structures, grassroots network and campaign machinery across Osun State to secure victory for its governorship candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, popularly known as AMBO.
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Describing the APC as Nigeria’s strongest political party, Yilwatda said its large number of governors, lawmakers, local government officials and party leaders positioned it to win elections at every level.
“The APC has all it takes to win elections in Nigeria — from councillorship and local government elections to governorship and presidential elections in 2027,” he said.
The APC chairman described the Osun governorship election as the party’s final electoral outing before the 2027 general elections, stressing that it would serve as a rehearsal for the nationwide campaigns.
“This is our litmus test. It will measure our level of preparedness for 2027. It will be our practice ground and our rehearsal for the political machine we are preparing for the general election.
“That is why winning the Osun election is a must for the APC,” Yilwatda added.
He disclosed that the party would embark on aggressive grassroots mobilisation through person-to-person and house-to-house campaigns across the state, with governors, members of the National Assembly, state lawmakers, local government chairmen and councillors participating in the exercise.
Chairman of the campaign council, Hope Uzodimma, described the assignment as “a call to service” and urged party members to remain united while running a peaceful, issue-based campaign.
“Our assignment is clear: to listen to the people of Osun State, speak to their hopes and aspirations, earn their confidence and convince them to vote for the APC and our governorship candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji.
“Our unity must be our first campaign message because a united party is the strongest foundation for victory,” Uzodimma said.
He also pledged that the campaign would not be distracted by misinformation or political attacks.
“We will answer falsehood with facts, propaganda with performance and provocation with peace,” he said.
APC governorship candidate, Munirudeen Oyebamiji, said the party had intensified consultations with traditional rulers, market leaders, youths, students, artisans, professionals, women and religious leaders across Osun State.
According to him, the engagements have boosted confidence that the APC is well-positioned to reclaim the state.
“Across these engagements, one message has been consistent and clear: the people of Osun State can no longer afford another day of the current administration beyond November 27, 2026.
“With less than two weeks to the election, I am delighted to report that our prosperity message has been received with uncommon excitement. Osun is ready to return to the path of progressive governance, responsible leadership and sustainable development,” Oyebamiji said.
He expressed confidence that the APC would reclaim the governorship through democratic means, citing the party’s growing support across the state’s three senatorial districts, nine federal constituencies, 30 local government areas, 332 political wards and 3,762 polling units.
The inauguration was attended by several APC leaders, including pioneer National Chairman Chief Bisi Akande, former National Secretary Senator Iyiola Omisore, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, APC National Secretary Senator Ajibola Basiru and other party stakeholders.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has urged political actors to seek victory through the ballot box rather than the courtroom as Nigeria prepares for the 2027 general elections.
Atiku made the remark on Tuesday while reacting to the Court of Appeal’s decision overturning a Federal High Court judgment that sought to remove the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties from Nigeria’s democratic space.
In a statement issued by his media office in Abuja, the former presidential candidate congratulated the Justices of the Court of Appeal for what he described as their courage, commitment to justice and fidelity to the Constitution, noting that the ruling had strengthened public confidence in the judiciary and Nigeria’s constitutional democracy.
SEE MORE: Appeal Court Clears ADC for 2027 Polls, Atiku’s Camp Declares Major Democracy Victory
He said the appellate court’s judgment had cleared the legal obstacles confronting the ADC, allowing the party to focus on preparations for the 2027 general election instead of engaging in prolonged legal battles.
“As the nation advances towards the 2027 general elections, political contests must be decided by the votes of Nigerians—not by contrived lawsuits seeking to achieve in the courtroom what cannot be won at the ballot box,” Atiku said.
According to the statement, the Court of Appeal’s ruling, alongside an earlier judgment by Justice Liman of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, affirming the Senator David Mark-led National Executive Committee of the ADC, has effectively ended all litigation challenging the party’s leadership ahead of the 2027 elections.
The statement added that the appellate court declared the June 15 judgment delivered by Justice Lifu a nullity because it was issued in disobedience to a subsisting order of the Court of Appeal.
It also ruled that the respondents lacked the legal standing (locus standi) to institute the suit, describing their claims as speculative and legally unsustainable.
The court further held that Section 225A of the Constitution should be interpreted disjunctively rather than conjunctively, noting that the suit was filed prematurely since the Osun and Ekiti election cycles were still ongoing.
Atiku also noted that the appellate court criticised the trial court for disregarding unchallenged affidavit evidence presented by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which confirmed that the ADC and the other affected political parties had complied with all constitutional and statutory requirements.
“Having accepted INEC’s evidence, the lower court had no legal basis to manufacture additional conditions in order to arrive at what the Court of Appeal rightly described as a perverse decision,” he added.
Describing the judgment as a victory beyond the fortunes of a single political party, Atiku said it represents a triumph for constitutional democracy, the rule of law and every Nigerian who believes in free political competition.
“The strength of a democracy lies not in the exclusion of political opponents but in allowing the people to freely determine their leaders through the ballot,” he stated.
He also warned against attempts to weaponise the judiciary and other state institutions for political purposes, saying such actions could undermine public confidence in democratic institutions and weaken Nigeria’s constitutional order.
“The judiciary must never be transformed into a battlefield for eliminating political competitors or shrinking the democratic space,” he warned.
Atiku concluded by expressing appreciation to the Justices of the Court of Appeal for delivering what he described as a courageous, impartial and constitutionally grounded judgment, saying the decision reaffirmed the supremacy of the rule of law over political expediency.
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