Says G5 governors averted national crisis in 2023
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, yesterday, convened a high-powered closed-door meeting in Abuja with key leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under the banner of ‘Concerned Stakeholders of the PDP’.
The meeting brought together influential figures from across party lines, including three of the famed G5 governors: former Governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Samuel Ortom (Benue) and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia).
While the participation of Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, another member of the G5 bloc, remained uncertain at press time, notable attendees included PDP National Secretary, Sen Samuel Anyanwu; former Senate Minority Leader, Philip Aduda; many sitting and former federal and state lawmakers, as well as key party executives from various zones.
Addressing the gathering, Wike delivered a blistering yet introspective critique of the party’s leadership failures, invoking the G5 governors’ controversial stance during the 2023 general elections as a necessary course correction that, in his view, helped avert a national crisis.
“Today, this country is stabilised because of the activities of the G5 governors. You may like us or hate us. The truth is, if the G5 did not take the decision we took, this country would have been in crisis,” Wike said, alluding to the group’s decision to oppose the PDP presidential ticket, which was perceived to have flouted the party’s zoning principles.
He stressed that the meeting was a gathering of those genuinely committed to the party’s revival, not media opportunists, but grassroots actors still invested in PDP’s future.
“Let us not allow greed or ego to kill our party,” he warned. On the raging debate over the failure to adhere to the party’s constitution, Wike accused party leaders of operating with impunity, contrary to both the PDP constitution and Nigeria’s broader democratic norms.
He cited the constitutional inconsistencies within the party, referencing Governor Agbu Kefas of Taraba and Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Ibrahim Abdullahi, who held party offices while seeking gubernatorial positions under circumstances now being contested by some factions.
Ortom forcefully defended Wike’s enduring relevance within the PDP and Nigeria’s political landscape, stating: “He who pays the piper calls the tune.”
He challenged critics to name anyone who has invested more in the PDP’s survival than Wike, praising President Bola Tinubu’s decision to appoint Wike, a PDP stalwart, to the sensitive position of FCT minister.
According to Ortom, the move reflected Tinubu’s recognition of the dangers of turning Nigeria into a one-party state. The meeting was still ongoing behind closed doors as of the time of filing this report, and it is expected to come out with a communiqué.
