In Another Jamboree, Wike, Makinde, Ikpeazu, Ortom Jet off to Spain

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

The group of five governors (G5) elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in what could be described as another jamboree, have travelled to Spain for another meeting.

The group led by the Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, has in continuation of its endless foreign trips, left the country for Madrid on Saturday morning.
Others in the team are Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo); Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Samuel Ortom (Benue).
It was learnt that Enugu Governor, Mr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, might join the team later.
Before jetting off in a private aircraft, the four governors posed for a photograph at the International Airport, Omagwa in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.

A top party chieftain in the state who pleaded anonymity, confirmed the trip yesterday.
“Yes, they left for Spain early Saturday morning, but I can’t say the reason for the trip,” the source said.
The G5 has 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 Abubakar.

Wike, the leader of the quartet, has refused to accept his defeat at the party’s presidential primary in good faith.
Since he lost the primary, and even the presidential slot, Wike has utilised the enormous resources at his disposal to mobilise four other governors to create a crisis in the party.

The aggrieved governors have insisted that it is unfair for the party to have the national chairman and presidential candidate from the North.
Before the trip, Wike had on Friday morning, held a live media chat at the Government House, Port Harcourt, where he made fresh revelations about Ayu, maintaining that the national chairman lacked the integrity to lead the party’s campaign for 2023.
He maintained that he would not go back on his call for Ayu to step down to pave the way for a Southerner to succeed him as the party’s chairman.
He also boasted that Atiku would not win the election if he and his allies leave the party.

“The concession we have made is that we won’t leave the party. Assuming we say we will leave the party, do you know the effect of that? Whether you like it or not, if I leave the party today, PDP cannot win. If we are leaving, we are leaving with all our people, and that is the truth of the matter.
“However, let this man go, the zone that is supposed to produce the chairman, produce the chairman and you don’t want to make the concession. What concession have they made? Do you think that today, we the five governors say we going to a party and there will still be PDP?” he said.
But referring to the discussions he had with Atiku’s team, Wike said he had accepted Atiku but no one would make him change his mind on the resignation of Ayu.

A source said Wike and his team will discuss the way forward on the crisis rocking the party while in Madrid.
It was further learnt that top on the agenda of the meeting is the party’s reconciliation committee recommendation to the Board of Trustees (BoT) that Ayu should resign his chairmanship position after the 2023 poll.

Recall that committee set up by the PDP to reconcile the aggrieved G-5 members with the party submitted its report to the BoT yesterday.
It recommended among others things that Ayu should give assurance that he would resign after the 2023 general elections.
The resolution was signed by the BoT chairman and former senate president, Mr. Adolphus Wabara.
Wabara noted that people had been wronged on both sides, but that party leaders and people close to them should desist from making further inflammatory remarks or granting press interviews on the matter.

“The BoT called on all the chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum (Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State) to convene a meeting of the forum without further delay; called on all leaders of the party to match words with action, and where commitments are made, to unconditionally fulfil the same.

“(The BoT) urged the national chairman as an eminent leader to give a firm assurance that he will resign his position after the 2023 elections. In the same vein, the BoT chairman has been authorised to offer apologies on behalf of all members who feel maligned or aggrieved by the public statements made by its members nationwide that have sharpened the current division in the party.
“Finally, the BoT will refer some of these recommendations for noting and appropriate action to NEC of the party in due course.”