The five Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors demanding the resignation of National Chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, yesterday claimed nobody can break them and their ranks to achieve their goal.
They reiterated their position during a visit to Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom, who flagged off his senatorial campaign yesterday.
The G5 members are insisting on Ayu’s resignation because they believe it is unjust for the presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and the national chairman to come from the same region.
The five governors – Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) and Ortom – insisted that there was an agreement that Ayu would resign once a northerner emerged as the presidential candidate.
Also yesterday, a PDP Delta North senatorial candidate, Prince Ned Nwoko, said Wike had done harm to the party.
He called for the expulsion of the Rivers governor from the PDP.
Former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose warned of serious turbulence in the PDP.
He said the crisis rocking the party might get messier, if not quickly resolved.
Wike said because the G5 had remained dogged, efforts to divide it had failed.
He spoke at the new Banquet Hall of Benue State Government House, Makurdi, during a dinner organised in honour of the G5 by Ortom on Sunday night.
He said: “Those efforts are failing because the five governors are bonded to save Nigeria. People have tried to see how they can break us, but you cannot. We are bonded to save Nigeria.
“That is why when you see all of us, we are impenetrable. Nobody can divide us. They have tried everything in this world to divide us, but no way.
“The way we operate; I will talk. We have people who don’t talk. You may be underrating them. By the time they will shock you, you will think it is Wike, it is not Wike you are seeing.”
Wike believes inclusivity would allow everybody to have an equal sense of stake in the party and to work for victory.
He said: “Agreement is agreement. Respect agreement so that there will be peace and unity. What we are asking for is inclusivity; include everybody.”
Ortom noted that Wike, an Eagle of Tiv land, stood by them and spoke truth to power when bandits killed Benue people.
He said: “Many have wondered why I have chosen to swim with Governor Wike. Many have wondered why I have chosen to work with him in darkness and in the midst of storms and threats and also trial and brimstone.
“This is a man who stood with us during our trying times and came out, did not fear the threats of the Federal Government or federal might, but came out and said ‘look, if you kill Ortom, you have killed Nigeria’.”
Ortom said the Rivers governor was not against Ayu as a person, but was only demanding equity and justice in the PDP.
