Vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Ifeanyi Okowa said the party is working assiduously to reconcile with five aggrieved PDP governors known as the G5.
Okowa stated this a a meeting with some other South-South PDP governors including Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom), Godwin Obaseki (Edo) and Douye Diri (Bayelsa) at the Government House, Yenagoa, the Bayelsa state capital.
According to Okowa, the PDP is concerned about the G5 and would want to carry them along in the party’s scheme of things.
The Delta governor assured that the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar and the five aggrieved governors will meet soon.
He said, “We believe that we are one family. There are still issues and they are being attended to. Very soon, there will be a meeting between the presidential candidate with the G5 governors,” he said.
“They are part of the family and we are not going to allow them to go. So, obviously, everything is being put in place to reconcile all differences and move together as a family.”
Speaking at the meeting, Diri described the South-South as a stronghold of the PDP, saying that the party will emerge victorious at all levels in next year’s general election.
He said, “We are one. In a family, there are always disputes. Those disputes do not separate us. We will resolve them and we continue to push on as one.
“South-South is a PDP region. South-South is a place where no other party can contend except PDP. I assure you that in all the elections from the presidency to the governorship, the national assembly and the state assembly, PDP will again triumph.”
Recall that the G5 led by Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has been calling for the resignation of Iyorchia Ayu as the party’s national chairman on the grounds that northerners should not hold the post and that of the flag bearer.
But, after their (G5 governors) meeting in Lagos, the governors rebranded as the Integrity Group, while reinforcing its position not to support the presidential candidate of their party.