G-5 governors fail to name preferred presidential candidate at Makinde’s campaign flag-off

The G-5 governors failed to name their preferred candidate for next month’s presidential election despite expectations they will do so during the flag-off of Governor Seyi Makinde’s re-election campaign in Ibadan on Thursday.

The event, which held at Mapo, in Ibadan had all the members of the G-5 – Makinde, Governors Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) – in attendance.

Speaking at the rally, Wike said Makinde was going to tell the people of Oyo who to vote in the presidential election, urging them to vote all PDP candidates in other elections.

“Governor Seyi Makinde has done well, the only way is for him to go back to complete the good work he has started.

“Vote for Governor Seyi Makinde, vote for all the candidates on the platform of the party, but the other one, Seyi Makinde will tell you.

“We believe in justice, fairness, honesty and equity, hence our reason for urging you to support the just governor God has given you in Oyo State. Makinde has done well since 2019 and the only way we appreciate him is to return him to the government to enable him to complete the good works he has started,” Wike said.

Ortom who also addressed the party supporters, said they would reveal their choice “at the appropriate time”.

He added: “We have challenges with our national leadership. They have failed to resolve the internal crisis in the party arising from the party’s national convention. We shall make our resolve on this known at the appropriate time.”

The G-5 governors had been at loggerheads with the leadership of the PDP over their insistence that the National Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu steps down.

According to them, the presidential candidate and the national chairman cannot be from the North.