2023: Atiku not worried by G-5 governors’ moves to support Obi, Tinubu

BY GODDY OBINWA

Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has said he was not perturbed by plots of five aggrieved governors of the party, popularly known as G-5, to endorse presidential candidates of other political parties.

He said power comes from God and he was confident that no man could arrogate to himself the powers that God alone has.

This is as the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said contrary to media reports, the opposition party was yet to take a decision on sanctioning the five governors for alleged anti-party activities.

The G-5 governors, comprising Governors Nyesom Wike, Samuel Ortom, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Okezie Ikpeazu and Seyi Makinde of Rivers, Benue, Enugu, Abia and Oyo states, respectively, alongside their supporters, have been on a warpath with the PDP leadership and Atiku, following the nomination of Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, as vice presidential candidate.

The G-5 governors, who are also insisting on the replacement of PDP national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, with a Southerner as condition for peace, have continued to stay away from the party’s presidential campaign, and other party activities, while several efforts to resolve the crisis have been unsuccessful.

Earlier, in the week, there were reports that the aggrieved governors, had gone to London for a meeting, to adopt either the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi or Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress ( APC) for the 2023 poll.

However, Atiku, who spoke through his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, said any person boasting of having such powers to stop his presidential bid, should first make himself president.

“Atiku will be president. Whether the cock crows or not, the sun must rise. Power belongs to God Almighty; no man can arrogate to himself the powers of God Almighty. Any man who can boast of stopping Atiku should first make himself president of Nigeria.”

Shaibu told our correspondent that Atiku would not be surprised by whatever action the G-5 governors decided to take.

“Atiku is an elephant. Even when an elephant walks on thorns, it does not limp. And when you have seen a snake, it cannot bite you any more. In this case, we have seen the snake, how can we be taken by surprise?”

Meanwhile, National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba told our correspondent that all the talks of alleged plans to sanction the G-5 governors were in the realm of speculations.

He said it would be premature to begin to guess what the reaction of the PDP would be on the alleged plan by the aggrieved governors to endorse the presidential candidates of other political parties.

“I want to make it clear that this party will take appropriate action in line with its constitution as event unfolds. PDP is already campaigning. We are focused on the elections, we are determined to win. Nigerians are looking up to the PDP to provide the leadership they deserve, and to take it away from the monumental damage that the APC government has done to this country. And we are not going to be distracted by anyone from any quarters, whether from within or outside,” he said.

He, however, said peace talks were still going on between the party and the aggrieved governors, expressing the optimism that the G-5 will realise that they have roles to play in PDP quest to rescue the country through the 2023 polls.

“You will recall that the Governor of Rivers State, who was an aspirant for the presidential ticket declared publicly to the whole world at the convention ground that if anybody wins he would support that person and that if he wins he will expect that people will give him. I believe that he will keep his word. I am sure that he knows that history beckons on him and that his word should be his bond,” he said.