Wike: All G-5 Governors Benefitted From President Tinubu’s Goodwill For Supporting Him in 2023 Election

By Akinwale Kasali

Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, has categorically stated that he is not the only one, among the G5 Governors, who reaped benefits from their support for  President Bola Tinubu.

Recall that Wike and four other Governors of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, played rogue in the 2023 election, and supported President Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, APC, at the expense of Atiku Abubakar, the PDP Candidate.

Election win, Tinubu compensated Wike with the Federal Capital Territory Ministry. While Wike’s luck has always been cited, Wike has let it be known that the others were also compensated.

For instance, he said, Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde was given a whopping sum of N50 billion in support of the expansion and upgrade of Ibadan Airport, a claim Makinde vehemently denies. But Wike insists:

“The President has also extended his hand of support to the governor of Oyo State by providing funds for him to expand Oyo airport with a whopping sum of 50 billion naira.”

He also gave an instance of former Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu and former Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, who he said currently serve as Nigeria’s Ambassadors to Spain and Greece respectively.

Arguing, Wike said it was therefore incorrect to suggest that he alone among the G5 Governors had benefited from the Tinubu administration, saying the President had supported other members of the group in different ways.

Recall that during the 2023 Presidential Election, Makinde, Wike, Ugwuanyi, Ikpeazu and Samuel Ortom consisted of the G-5 Governors from the former PDP who opposed the PDP’s Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, declaring their support for Tinubu.

This singular act, resulted to the victory of President Tinubu, as he coasted home to make his age long dream coming to fulfilment.