2023 : Atiku Will Win Presidency – Oyo PDP Tells G-5 Governors

The leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo, on Wednesday, declared that with or without the G-5 governors Atiku Abubakar will winning the poll.

The G-5, led by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State with his counterpart in Oyo (Seyi Makinde), Benue (Samuel Ortom and two others have vowed not to support or campaign for Abubakar until the national chairman of the PDP, Senator Iyiorcha Ayu is removed from office.

However, while addressing journalists at the Press Centre of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State council, Iyaganku, Ibadan, the PDP leaders in the state, namely the former Minister of the Federal Capital Terri- tory (FCT), Jumoke Ak- injide, erstwhile Minister for Special Duties, Elder Wole Oyelese, former deputy governor of Oyo State, Al- haji Hazeem Gbolarumi and others said the G-5 is media’s creation.

Speaking at the press conference ahead of today’s freedom walk for Atiku in Ibadan, Akinjide stated: “The media has blown the issue of G-5 out of proportion. G-5 is a non issue. We are talking about the fate of more than 200 million Nige- rians, whose fate is at stake.

According to her, “I can speak for Governor Seyi Makinde. He has no problem with the presidential can- didate of our party. We are going to resolve the G-5 matter soon. There is silence of the grave yard in the All Progressives Congress (APC) because they have their issues there.

“The presidential candidate of our party and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar remain the God’s arrow in a pouch to halt the steady destruction of the country by the APC-led Federal Government. I think we are wasting time on this issue of G5. The press is more interested in the quarrel between people and not interested in the plight of 200 million Nigerians, who are suffering and have been made destitutes.

“We are talking about the plights of Nigerians, who have been become home- less, who have no access to education. By the time these people would resolve this problem, you and I may not be there when they (G-5 and PDP) will be back slap- ping. We should concentrate on the fact that Nigerians have been pauperised. We have a country with a population of 1.4 billion in Asia, but, Nigeria with about 200 population has become the poverty headquarters of the world.

“Over 50 percent of Nigerians are desperately poor. Are we going to continue like this. There’s silence of the grave in the APC. We (PDP) are having problem because we are the government that is coming to power, so everybody wants to have a seat at that table.

“But, point of correction, I can speak for my governor, Governor Seyi Makinde. When Atiku Abubakar was here about two months ago, he (Makinde) said he had no issue with our presidential candidate and his running mate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa. He said he has issue with the national chairman, Senator Iyiorcha Ayu.”

Akinjide, however, assured that Abubakar has the experience, pedigree and technical know-how to halt the alleged steady destruction of Nigeria by the APC and redirect the ship of the nation, which she said, is heading for the rocks by exploring his rich public leadership expertise to salvage the economy of the nation.

In his remark, former Minister for Special Duties, Elder Wole Oyelese hinted the door to negotiation on the grievances of the G-5 governors is not closed, stressing that “Wike, Makinde, others are free to come on board.

But, Gbolarumi, who was a former deputy governor to late Governor Alao Akala, affirmed that “with or without the G-5 governors, our presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is winning next month presidential election in Nigeria.”

Also speaking, former chairman of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Engineer Jide Adeniji, contended that the G5 governors can- not turn against the PDP or the presidential candidate of the party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

He averred: G-5 governors became or were elected using as governors of their states through the platform of the party. They are agents of the PDP and are not ‘Governors Democratic Party.’ I can tell you that they are loyal party members and would not turn against the PDP.”