By Yemi Yusuf
Fears by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, that the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, is determined to undermine the opposition is gradually coming to fruition as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, George Akume begins secret negotiations to woo his kinsman and former Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom and his other partners in the G5 group into the APC.
Although the leader of the group, former Rivers State governor Nyesom Wike had helped President Bola Tinubu to win the state in the February 25 Presidential elections, the group had formally remained members of the PDP.
However, The New Diplomat learned that the group may soon be dumping the party following ongoing moves by Senator Akumeto to bring the aggrieved PDP stalwarts into the APC fold.
The G-5 is made up of Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and former governors Nyesom Wike, Okezie Ikpeazu, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and Samuel Ortom of Rivers, Abia, Enugu and Benue states respectively.
As governors they had vehemently opposed the continued stay of Senator Iyorchia Ayu as the PDP national chairman following the emergence of Atiku Abubakar as the PDP presidential candidate for the 2023 election. In the end they are believed to have worked against Atiku, who lost the election to APC’s Bola Tinubu, who is now the President.
Since the inauguration, the five PDP leaders have been known to visit with President Tinubu at Aso Rock even as their party, the PDP, continues to challenge the outcome of the February 25 election at the Presidential Election Petition Court sitting in Abuja.
Wike, especially, has visited Tinubu at the Presidential Villa multiple times after the May 29 inauguration, a development that led PDP chieftains to question his continued membership of the PDP.
In a recent media interview, a former Principal Special Assistant to Ortom, Raymond Magen, allowed that “Deep talks” were ongoing between the APC and the five opposition leaders which could lead to their defection in the months ahead.
Magen added, “They are talking on a consistent basis with the APC. These are not mere talks but deep-seated conversations between the PDP leaders and the ruling party. They may be joining the APC because there are no indications that they are still interested in what is going on in their party.”
Asked to throw more light on his claim, the former assistant said, “The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, for instance, has been talking to Ortom. The talks are deepening and at the end, G-5 members are expected to take a joint decision.”
A member of the PDP National Executive Committee, Diran Odeyemi, said the appointments to be made by Tinubu in the weeks ahead would reveal whether some of the G-5 leaders still have a part to play in the PDP.
He stated, “We have heard their utterances recently and they are indicative of where their hearts are. In the appointments to be made, it appears some of them may join the new government, and if that happens, it means they are already thinking about life without PDP.
“By and large, I think some of them will join the APC. They are not hiding it, just as they are no longer showing concern about the issues concerning their party. They are disappointed that their counsel was largely ignored by the PDP and now that what they feared (defeat) has come to pass; it is clear their focus is elsewhere.”
Mr. Odeyemi warned of the dangers of a one-party state if leaders would not stay to help build their party into a winning platform but prefer to join the ruling party. “Even though it is too early to say what they are likely to do, it is all glaring for us to see where their treasures are now,” he added.
Wike and Makinde reportedly mobilised their party members to support Tinubu, while Ortom inaugurated a committee made up of some of trusted aides and allies to work for the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi at the last presidential election.
