2023: Will G5 Governors Attend Abia PDP Campaign Flagoff?

It is no more news that five southern governors have been at loggerheads with the central leadership of the PDP. Will these governors grace the PDP campaign flagoff slated for Thursday in Abia state?

Abia state is one of the embattled states where the governor had been calling for “equity and fairness” in the leadership position and organogram of the party.

Now that the campaign train of the party will branch Abia state, how will the atmosphere be?

The Abia State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) today said Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and his aggrieved counterparts would grace the official flagoff of the party’s campaign on Thursday in the state.

PDP Vice Chairman Abia North and the Acting Publicity Secretary of the party, Abraham Amah, made the disclosure at a press briefing today in Umuahia. 

He added that the essence of the presence of the governors at the event would be to honour and offer support to Okezie Ikpeazu, the governor of Abia State who makes up the G5.

Also at the press briefing were Ralph Egbu, former SSG to the governor and the Secretary of the PDP Campaign Council, Chief Stanley Ojigbo.

“The Integrity G5 PDP governors namely; His Excellencies Barr. Nyesom Wike of Rivers State; Dr. Samuel Ortom of Benue State; Chief Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State; Mr. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State; and the host governor Dr. Okezie Victor Ikpeazu would grace the occasion in person as a mark of respect and solidarity with their brother governor”, Amah said.

He added that the party’s gubernatorial candidate, Professor Uche Ikonne, his running mate, Hon. Okey Igwe; and other PDP candidates for the 2023 elections will be formally unveiled at the event, which will take place at the Umuahia Township Stadium.

The controversy

The PDP spokesperson said the state is solidly behind Atiku Abubakar’s candidacy despite Ikpeazu’s alliance with Nysom Wike, who has been talking tough against the PDP presidential flagbearer and the chairman of the party. 

Though the spokesperson maintained that it is imperative that Abia bargain for its interests in Atiku’s Government, they are in support of the two-term vice president. 

The G5 debacle

Apparently, the stand of the party in Abia state, judging by today’s press conference, contradicts the agitation of Governor Ikpeazu and his southern counterparts, who have maintained that the national chairman resigns before they could be part of the party’s campaign.

With the trajectory of this development and what was said by the party spokesperson, it remains to be seen whether or not the generality of the party supporters in the five affected states is behind their governors and their demands to the national leadership of the party.