PDP: G5 Cracks As Governor Ikpeazu Abandons Group

By Gideon Njoku

The Governor of Abia State, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, has exited the G5. The G5 is a group of five Peoples Democratic Party’s Governors who are opposed to the Leadership of the Party as represented by Chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, and the Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

The other members of the Group are leader, Samuel Ortom, Benue State, Spokesperson, Nyesom Wike, Rivers State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Enugu State and Seyi Makinde, Oyo State.

Between them, they divided the PDP, and deprived it of a common front since the Presidential Primary which denied Wike of the ticket in favour of Atiku, and also denied him of the Vice Presidential slot in favour of Delta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa.

After Wike’s loss, they asked that Ayu steps down as the Chairman of the Party for a Southerner, and insisted that it was a breach of the Party’s constitution for both the Candidate and the Chairman to come from the same Zone – North.

That was not agreeable to most people, including other PDP Governors. Since then the five of them exempted themselves from all Party activities, including the Presidential Campaign. They have, in so many ways, worked against the Party and its Candidate.

But a crack seems to have emerged, according to Ayu.

While addressing the Presidential Rally in Makurdi on Monday, which Ortom boycotted, Ayu announced that the Governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu has come back to the main PDP fold, and agreed to work with the Party and its Presidential Candidate.

Ayu disclosed that he held a discussion with Ikpeazu two days earlier, and they had sorted things out, and Ikpeazu had come back to the fold. He, therefore, appealed to Ortom to come back to the fold.

Not a few people are of the opinion that the death of Professor Uche Ikonne, the Governor’s preferred Governorship candidate, forced Ikpeazu to do an about turn. Having lost Ikonne to death, Ikpeazu had stood the risk of not picking Ikonne’s replacement. The Primary to replace him was conducted by the National body which was in a position to sabotage Ikpeazu’s desire. He was said to have quickly made an about-turn in exchange for the support of the National body.

His immediate past Chief of Staff, Ambrose Ahiwe, picked the ticket. If the arrangement/agreement will hold is another matter.

Ikpeazu is a Senatorial candidate. The election will take place same day, February 25, as the Presidential election.