Nyesom Wike, the Governor of River State has predicted that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members who oppose the G5’s achievements will fall short.
At a party gathering held in Rivers State’s Okrika Local Government Area (LGA), Governor Wike made this statement.
The G5, sometimes referred to as the “Integrity Group,” is an alliance of unhappy governors who objected to the party’s selection of the National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, and are asking that he (Ayu) be replaced by a member from the South.
The G-5 include Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu).
In his Friday address to the party faithful, Wike asserted that the G5 is a crucial component of the party’s success and cannot be easily replaced.
He said, “I’m a proud man and I take my shoulders very high. It is not to abuse me, come home, and win the election. I have told you, people, even if you put a knife in my neck, I will not change until the right thing is done.
“All the show of pride that G5 is not needed. There is a cabal [sic] in the presidency who has their hopes raised that they will win the elections; have they not been exposed?
“Those saying they don’t want G5 have been exposed, and whatever they do, they need us.”
Wike added that the oil-rich state was crucial to the PDP’s ability to win the election.
“Whether you like it or not you must win Rivers State. If you claim you don’t need Rivers State, you will fail and when they claim to succeed without us, they will fail. All we need is the people’s assurance,” he said.
Maintaining that he has no qualms with the PDP’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, Woke said, “I have no problem with the presidential candidate. All I am saying is, what is the interest of Rivers people? What is the interest of the South-South, and the South?”