The G5, a group of aggrieved Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors led by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike and Samuel Ortom, Governor of Benue State, will be sanctioned for anti-party activities after the 2023 elections.
The governors are aggrieved with the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar and the party’s national leadership.
Apart from Messrs Ortom and Wike, other members of the group include Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Seyi Makinde (Oyo) and their Abia State counterpart, Okezie Ikpeazu.
The group came about after the PDP presidential primary in May 2022, where Nigeria’s former vice president, Atiku, defeated Wike and others to become the party’s presidential candidate.
While Wike and Makinde are believed to be supporting Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC); Ortom has openly endorsed Peter Obi, the candidate of the Labour Party.
Ikpeazu is reported to have reneged and pledged his support for Atiku.
According to the Deputy National Youth Leader of the party, Timothy Osadolor, sanction for the G5 governors “is not a question of if but when.”
“How else could they have worked against the party than they have already? If they didn’t know that there would be sanctions, they wouldn’t be running to their states’ High Courts to procure ex-parte orders, but they are merely buying time.
“They know that they have erred, and the full wrath of the law will fall upon them. It’s not a matter of if, but of when,” he said.
Osadolor added, “When the dust of elections is over, the party will revisit the issue. The party is supreme. Head or tail, their issue will be treated.”
