Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has said that Nigeria could have faced serious instability after the 2023 general elections if the group of five former governors, known as the G5, had not taken a firm stand against their party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Speaking in Abuja on Monday to a gathering of PDP stakeholders from across the country, Wike defended the controversial decision made by the G5 during the election period. The group, made up of Wike, Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), had refused to support the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, based on the party’s failure to respect the principle of zoning between the North and South.
According to Wike, the G5 believed that the presidency should have been zoned to the South. Instead of backing Atiku, a northerner, the group threw their support behind Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, a southerner, whose victory they indirectly contributed to.
Wike stressed that the group acted to protect the country’s unity, not to promote personal interests. He said they have no regrets about their decision, even though it benefited a rival party. He maintained that respecting party rules and the country’s constitution should always come first. He also warned against impunity and internal party arrogance, which he said contributed to the PDP’s current challenges.
Wike urged party leaders to stop acting with pride and instead focus on healing divisions within the party. He said efforts should be directed toward unity rather than chasing people away with harsh words or selfish motives. Despite the internal struggles, he expressed hope that the PDP would recover and regain its strength.
Among those present at the meeting were former governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Samuel Ortom, and Okezie Ikpeazu, along with the PDP National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, and former Senate Minority Leader, Senator Philip Aduda.
