Deadlock: aggrieved DPP governments weigh new options

The five aggrieved governors of the People's Democratic Party met with other party heavyweights on Sunday where they discussed new options amid hopes of reconciliation with the camp of PDP presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar , seem to fade.< /p>

This comes as the camps of All Progressives Congress presidential candidate Bola Tinubu and his Labor Party counterpart Peter Obi expressed their willingness to seek the support of governors to materialize their aspirations.

However, speaking after their closed-door meeting in Lagos, the governors said the window of reconciliation with Atiku was still open.

At the meeting were Governors Nyesom Wike (Rivers); Seyi Makinde (Oyo); Samuel Ortom (Benue); Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu); Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia); the party's former National Vice President, Chief Olabode George; former governors Ayodele Fayose (Ekiti); Donald Duke (Cross River), Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo) and Jonah Jang (Plateau).

Also present were a former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke; National Vice President, South of the PDP, Taofeek Arapaja; Senator Nasif Suleiman; Senator Sandy Onor and Senator Sam Ohabunwa.

The meeting took place days after the governors unveiled the PDP gubernatorial candidate in Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara.

They had previously held meetings in Enugu, Benue and outside the country.

Governors disagree with Atiku over PDP National Chairman Iyorchia Ayu's refusal to step down.

Speaking at the meeting, Makinde said that although he and his colleagues were the face of their struggle, she had the support of party leaders and elders who were present.

He said: “We are here this morning to hold a meeting of the integrity group within our party, the PDP. We were part of the G5, that is to say of the five governors of the PDP. The G5 is all about the integrity group.

"You can see us, five sitting governors, as the face of this struggle, the party leaders and elders you see here are the people behind these faces. We are in the South- West to take stock of the situation within our party, to review where we are and also to look at what will happen in the next election.''

Shortly after the closed meeting, Jang reiterated that they still stand by the position they took at their last meeting in Port Harcourt.

“After careful consideration of the evolution of our party, we have decided to stand by the decisions we made at our meeting in Port Harcourt. And we hereby reiterate that the window of reconciliation in our great party, the PDP, remains open,” he said.

The governors then traveled to George's home in Ikoyi where Wike addressed party loyalists with pledges of support for candidates in the upcoming elections.

Our correspondent understood that the integrity group would soon make a decision on which presidential candidate he intended to support if the long-awaited truce with Atiku failed. Already, sources present at the meeting said the group had reached a point where a major decision would be made

Tinubu, Obi encampments

Meanwhile, APC Presidential Campaign Council chief spokesman Festus Keyamo said Tinubu was focused on consolidating his stronghold but would see no improvement. inconvenience in exploiting the latent crisis of the PDP.

It's even like Emeka Obasi, the LP candidate's media assistant, says there's a chance her manager could work with the PDP Integrity Group.

Keyamo and Obasi spoke in separate interviews with The PUNCH.

Keyamo said, "I am not aware of any discussions between the APC and the G-5. At least not to my knowledge. However, despite their feud with the PDP, at this day, they are still party members.

"Let me repeat it for the umpteenth time. For us, we start from the position of calculating our strength, without thinking about the quarrel or the weakness of the PDP. We do not depend on it

"If after calculating our strength and the implosion continues in the PDP by the end of the day, then we can consider it as an added advantage, but not a tipping factor the balance towards our victory. It may make it easier to win if they walk through the door we opened for them. Anything can happen. But we're not looking for that possibility. We're just saying that in politics, anything can happen."

Similarly, Obasi told The PUNCH that there is a chance that Obi would be willing to work with the PDP governors if that benefits the people of Nigeria.

He noted, "There is nothing stopping that. It is a possibility. They can only work together if they are willing to work for the Nigerian people...