HOW G-5 HELPED OBI DEFEAT ATIKU IN EDO, C’RIVER DURING 2023 ELECTION

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By ‘Sefiu Ajape

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has revealed how the five aggrieved Peoples Democratic Party governors, known as the G-5, worked against the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, during the 2023 election.

Wike disclosed this on Monday during an interview on TVC’s Journalists’ Hangout, where he explained that the G-5 identified the strength of the PDP in the South-South as a potential advantage for Atiku and adopted a strategy to prevent him from benefiting from the region’s votes.

He said the group deliberately allowed Labour Party candidate Peter Obi to win Edo and Cross River states, where the PDP was considered strong.

He said, “How did he win? When the G-5, we sat, we had our strategy. We said in Edo, PDP is stronger in the South-South. Our problem will be Atiku. Therefore, instead of Atiku to take it, let it go to the Labour Party. That was our strategy. Cross River, the same thing. That’s what we did.”

Wike, however, said the group stopped Obi from winning Rivers State because of the political implications of such a victory.

“It was only Rivers that said, ‘No, we have a problem here in Rivers. Obi will not win here because if he wins, he sends a signal somewhere; people may not understand it.’ And we stopped…we stopped it,” Wike said.

The G-5 comprised then-governors Seyi Makinde of Oyo, Samuel Ortom of Benue, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia, Wike of Rivers, and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu.

The governors had opposed Atiku’s presidential candidacy in 2023, insisting that the PDP’s presidential ticket should be zoned to the South after eight years of a northern presidency under Muhammadu Buhari.

Wike said the strategy was based on the calculation that if the PDP failed to win in the South-South, it would disadvantage Atiku, while an Obi victory would not significantly benefit the Labour Party candidate.

“But we agreed that, look, Atiku is a problem; PDP is strong in the South-South. So if PDP does not win in South-South, it’s a disadvantage to Atiku. Obi winning will not help Obi anywhere. We did that. We did that,” he said.

The FCT minister also questioned Obi’s chances of replicating his 2023 performance in the region ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

“In Cross River now, how will Obi win? In Akwa Ibom, how will he win? In Delta, how will he win?” Wike asked.

He said the political circumstances surrounding the 2023 election had changed, particularly the controversy over the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket.

“Under 2023 there was this campaign of Christianity; there was this campaign of Muslim-Muslim ticket. There was, there was, seriously, seriously,” he said.

According to Wike, the issue no longer carried the same political weight.

“It’s no longer there now. It’s no longer there. No more like Muslim-Muslim ticket. Well, it doesn’t work. Tinubu has been able to kill that,” he said.

Wike further claimed that Obi no longer enjoyed the level of support he had in the South-East during the 2023 election.

“What people, what we know now, Obi does not have it, and he won’t have it,” he said.

He subsequently advised Obi to look beyond the 2027 presidential election and prepare for 2031.

“For this election, leave it for Tinubu. Prepare for 2031. And that’s the truth of the matter,” Wike said.