Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has revealed that the disgruntled governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) refused to support the Labour Party (LP) candidate, Peter Obi, in the recently concluded presidential election.
WITHIN NIGERIA reports that Wike announced this during a live media chat in Port Harcourt, the state capital, on Wednesday.
According to the Rivers governor, the G-5 governors only reached an agreement and devised strategies to ensure the election of a Southern President.
He said:
“There was never a time the integrity Group met and say it must be this person. We only agreed on the Southern President. We formulated strategies and the southern President emerged. Our interest is that a southern President should emerge.
“When we went to our meeting, we decided on the Southern President. We didn’t say it must be this. We said whatever you are doing it must be the Southern President. The aim of G5 was equity, fairness, and justice”.
Wike stated that some of his colleagues, including Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom, and Abia State Governor Victor Ikpeazu, made significant sacrifices to ensure the election of a Southern President.
Though Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde was re-elected, he had previously stated that he would not mind sacrificing his second term on the altar of equity, justice, and fairness.
Wike said:
“Ortom said even if he loses his senatorial election, let equity, justice, and fairness prevail. He may not gain it now. But history will be kind to him. The same applies to Ugwuanyi and Ikpeazu. Even Makinde said even if he lost his governorship ambition, he was interested in the unity of Nigeria”.
When asked whether justice and equity prevailed since the southeast did not produce the President, Wike said the winning capacity of an individual and his party must also be taken into consideration.
“We have a different interest when you come to the south. People must choose who is likely to win the election. To win an election in Nigeria you must have the spread. What we are saying is that power should shift to the south.”