By Babatunde Solanke
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, alongside a coalition of five aggrieved serving and former People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governors, code-named the G-5, held a meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa last night.
The G5 governors, comprising Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, made an unwavering pledge to withhold their support for the PDP’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, on the grounds that the south was to produce the next president of Nigeria.
The closed-door session, shrouded in secrecy, primarily revolved around establishing a collaborative effort between the President and the former governors. Although specific details of the discussion remain undisclosed, it was gathered that the talks were centered on integrating the former governors into the political landscape and exploring potential areas of cooperation.
The gathering, which also saw the presence of Chief of Staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila, was preceded by an initial discussion held at Wike’s Abuja residence.
According to emerging reports, the G-5 PDP governors initially met at Wike’s residence for preliminary discussions. Subsequently, they proceeded to the Presidential Villa, where they engaged in substantive talks with President Bola Tinubu, who won the elections over Atiku of PDP.
“The discussions at Wike’s residence focused on finding suitable roles for the former governors and fostering a cohesive working relationship,” the source disclosed.
The timing of this high-profile meeting is noteworthy, occurring just 24 hours before the commencement of the Imo State PDP governorship campaign in Owerri.