There are indications that the five disgruntled governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may boycott Senator Ademola Adeleke’s inauguration as governor of Osun State.
WITHIN NIGERIA has learned that the governors may not attend the event because the PDP Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and the party’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, are scheduled to attend.
Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), and Ifeanyi Igwuanyi (Enugu) are among the G5 governors.
The five governors had promised to stay out of the party’s presidential campaign until Ayu resigned and a Southerner takes over.
Since the beginning of off-season elections in the polity, governors of the party of a governor-elect being inaugurated have always added flavour to the swearing-in.
As of Friday night, the five PDP governors had yet to make plans to attend today’s event in Osogbo, the state capital.
According to a source close to the G5 Governors, none of the governors are expected to attend.
According to the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, Wike and his colleagues have nothing against Senator Adeleke because he will be joining their ranks as governor.
According to the PDP chieftain, the party leadership has yet to address the concerns of the G5 Governors.
He said;
It is unlikely that any of them will attend.
They have absolutely nothing against the brand new governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke, because he is joining their ranks as governor but the concerns of the G5 Governors are yet to be addressed by the party leadership.
Their thinking is that appearing in public events of any nature with the Ayu-led PDP NWC can be misinterpreted to mean they have buckled.
Recall that Governor Makinde who was appointed DG of the National Campaign Council for the Osun PDP governorship election, was unavailable during the campaigns.
Regarding today’s inauguration, the Chief Press Secretary to the Oyo governor, Taiwo Adisa, could not confirm if his principal would be in attendance.
In an interview with the Vanguard, Adisa stated that he was yet to be briefed on the matter.
Also, media aide to governor Ortom, Nathaniel Ikyur, said he couldn’t confirm whether or not he will be attending.