The five aggrieved governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), known as G5 or the Integrity Group, have yet to agree on their preferred presidential candidate over their ambitions and interests ahead of the 2023 general election.

The Star had reported that Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, who is the leader of the group, on Friday, said himself and his allies have not endorsed any presidential candidate for the 2023 presidency.

There were reports that the five aggrieved governors met with the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, in London, the United Kingdom to finalise the deal on the 2023 presidency.

Reports had also emerged that the governors, Wike (Rivers), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), may endorse the presidential standard-bearer of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, ahead of the 2023 polls.

The aggrieved governors have since fallen out with the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, over his alleged refusal to prevail on the party’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu to resign after the former Vice President, clinched the presidential ticket of the opposition party.

The governors insisted that it is unfair for the main opposition party to have the national chairman and presidential candidate from the northern region of the country.

However, it was gathered that the G5 could not agree on a particular candidate during their visit to London during the week.

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Sources close to the meeting disclosed that due to their respective ambitions and interests, the aggrieved governors had yet to agree on who to support for the 2023 presidency.

Credible sources disclosed that after their reported meeting with Tinubu in London, the governors decided not to openly campaign for the presidential candidate of the party or any other candidate so as not to jeopardise their chances in the election.

While Makinde is seeking re-election as Oyo State Governor on the PDP platform, Ortom, Ugwuanyi, and Ikpeazu, who will finish their second term on May 29, 2023, are all contesting senatorial seats in their respective districts.

Wike, who is not contesting any position in the 2023 general election, has been campaigning for the PDP governorship candidate in Rivers State.

“Many people know that former President Olusegun Obasanjo sold the candidacy of Peter Obi to them. He wants the governors to back the former Anambra State governor. Some initially embraced the former President’s suggestion out of respect for him.

“However, it was clear that Obi might not win the election, so the reality of this dawned on the governors and they discussed it, but they did not take a position.

“You also know that the presidential candidate of the APC sent emissaries to the governors before he personally met them. He had negotiated with them, especially Wike. But the other governors are afraid that such a negotiation could work against them in their states.

“The APC and its presidential candidate are not very popular in the South-East.

“In fact, the people of the zone are angry with some comments said to have been made by the vice-presidential candidate of the APC (Kashim Shettima) sometime ago.

“This was why the people walked out on him in Imo State when members of the party went there for consultation,” a source told PUNCH.

The Star