The five aggrieved governors of the Peoples Democratic Party, on Sunday, in Lagos, announced the formation of the Integrity Group.
The G5 governors at their meeting vowed not to go back on their decision not to campaign for the PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
The governors also demanded the resignation of the party’s National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu.
The governors, who attended the meeting include Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu).
Other PDP chieftains at the meeting included former governors Ayo Fayose (Ekiti State), Donald Duke (Cross River) and Jonah Jang (Plateau State).
Also at the meeting were former PDP Deputy National Chairman, Chief Olabode George; Deputy Chairman of the PDP, Taofeek Arapaja; Chief Dan Orbih, Senator Olaka Nwogu, Senator Mao Ohuanbunwa, Senator Nasif Suleiman, among others.
Ex-Plateau governor Jang, who addressed newsmen, said there was still room for reconciliation.
“We have reviewed the issues in our party and we, therefore, stand on the position we took at our last meeting in PortHarcourt and we hereby reiterate our position that the window for reconcilation in our great party, the PDP, remains open,” he said.
Governor Makinde, who spoke before they all went into a closed door session, stated that the G5 governors who were the face of their struggle had the support of the leaders and elders of the party attending the meeting.
He said they were now part of the newly formed Integrity Group.
According to Makinde, “We are here this morning to hold a meeting of the Integrity Group within our party, the PDP. You’ve been of the G5 that is the five PDP governors. The G5 is all about the Integrity Group. You can see us, five serving governors, as the face of this struggle but the leaders and elders of the party that you see here are the people behind those faces.
“We are this morning in the South West to review the situation within our party, to review where we are and to also look at what is going to happen in the coming elections. At the end of our deliberations, you will be fully briefed on where we stand on those burning issues. On behalf of our leaders and elders in the South West, I want to welcome members of the Integrity Group…”
The G5 governors and their supporters had at a meeting in Port Harcourt on September 20 declared they would not be part of Atiku’s campaign team.
Reading the communique, George said the campaign council list released by the PDP which included Wike’s name “is putting the cart before horse.”