Atiku free to negotiate with us – Wike’s G5
The group of aggrieved Peoples Democratic Party’s governors and chieftains have said they are open to reconciling with their presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar.
The group, which has as its arrowheads five governors of the PDP, namely Nyesom While (Rivers state); Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu); Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia); Samuel Ortom (Benue) and Seyi Makinde (Oyo), met in Lagos on Sunday.
Others are the meeting where the group named itself the ‘Integrity Group’ include former Ekiti State governor Ayodele Fayose, former Cross Rivers and Plateau State governors Donald Duke and Jonah Jang respectively. Also at the meeting were ex-vice national chairman of the PDP Olabode George, incumbent national vice Chairman of the PDP (Southwest) Taofeek Arapaja, Chief Dan Orbih, Senator Olaka Nwogu, Senator Mao Ohuanbunwa, Senator Nasif Suleiman, among others.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Jang said, “We have reviewed the issues in our party and we, therefore, stand on the position we took at our last meeting in PortHarcourt and we hereby reiterate our position that the window for reconcilation in our great party, the PDP, remains open.”
The group insists that the PDP national chairman Iyorchia Ayu resign his position to pave the way for a southerner as his replacement.
The aggrieved PDP chieftains state that Ayu’s resignation is important to ensure balance, equity and fairness in the party, since the presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar is equally from the northern region as Ayu.
