PDP G5 governors form ‘Integrity Group’, insist on Ayu’s removal

The five governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) dubbed as G5 say they are open to reconciliation on the crisis battling the party.

Earlier, TheCable had reported that the allies of Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers, were meeting in Lagos to discuss issues on the crisis facing the PDP.

Other governors in the G5 group led by Wike are Seyi Makinde of Oyo, Samuel Ortom of Benue, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia, and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu.

Olusegun Mimiko, former governor of Ondo, Ayo Fayose, former governor of Ekiti, Donald Duke, former governor of Cross River, Bode George, former deputy national chairman, were also at the meeting.

Speaking before the meeting, Makinde hinted that the G5 group in the PDP is now “Integrity Group”, which is behind the “struggle” in the PDP.

“We are here this morning to hold a meeting of the Integrity Group within our party, the PDP. We have been of the G5- that is, the five PDP governors. The G5 is all about the Integrity Group,” Makinde was quoted by NAN.

“You can see us, five serving governors, as the face of this struggle both the leaders and elders of the party that you see here are the people behind those faces.”

Addressing newsmen after the meeting, Jonah Jang, former governor of Plateau, said the group is still insisting on the removal of Iyorchia Ayu, national chairman of the party

Jang said the window of reconciliation with the group is still open.

“After a careful review of developments in our party, we have decided to stand on the decisions we took in our Port- Harcourt meeting,” Jang was quoted by NAN.

“And we hereby reiterate that the window for reconciliation in our great party, PDP, remains open.”

Over the past few months, Wike and his allies have been calling for the resignation of Ayu as the party’s chairman, citing that Ayu and Atiku Abubakar, the party’s presidential candidate, cannot come from the same region.

However, Ayu had insisted that he would not resign his position on the basis of the demands of Wike’s allies.

On November 9, the Rivers governor said he and his allies are still open to reconciliation with the PDP leadership.

Some days later, Atiku responded, saying the doors have not been shut against aggrieved members of the party.