The governors, who have said goodbye to their party’s presidential candidate, atiku abubakarrecently stated that his preferred presidential candidate would be announced in January.
The refusal of the governors to support Atiku is based on the refusal of the national president of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, resign after Atiku emerged as the main opposition party’s presidential candidate.
the governors, wike nyesom (Rivers), Seyi Makinde (Or me), Okezie Ikpeazu (abia)samuel ortom (Benefit) and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of the Enugu states argued that the party leadership is too pro-northern as Atiku, Ayu and other key PDP leaders are from the country’s northern region.
Legumes previously reported that governors can heed the advice of the former president, Olusegun Obasanjowho urged them to support Pedro Obithe Labor Party’s presidential candidate.
While the aggrieved governors have yet to decide which presidential candidate to back, Tinubu reportedly had a marathon meeting with them in the UK on Tuesday, December 27, 2022.
During the meeting, the former Lagos state governor was said to have lobbied for the endorsement of all five governors.
Confirming the meeting, a source said the punch that “Tinubu met with the aggrieved governors yesterday (Tuesday) along with a delegation that included (Kayode) Fayemi, (Babajide) Sanwo-Olu, another governor and a former governor. For now we are just waiting for the G-5 governors to make the official pronouncement in January.”
However, the PDP said it was unaware of the governors’ meeting with Tinubu, noting that, as far as it concerned, the governors were in the UK on holiday.
The party threatened to punish the governors for any anti-party activity.
Speaking in this regard, the party’s Deputy National Youth Leader and member of the DPP National Working Committee, Timothy Osadalor He said the PPD has what it takes to impose the necessary sanctions on aggrieved governors if they abandon their party’s presidential candidate for another party’s candidate.
“We want to believe they are in the UK on holiday and reacting to the speculation is not what we should be doing right now. We want to assure Nigerians that if they make that decision and support a candidate other than ours, the PDP will act. Let me be clear: this party has the ability to discipline them and any member who tries to undermine their will,” he said.
PPD spokesman, I must Ologunagba he also threatened sanction saying the party would apply the relevant provisions of its constitution when the need arose, the punch reports.
“The PDP is a party of constitution, rules and procedures. We do not react to speculation. When making decisions, we look at the constitution of our party in relation to the issues. Whatever happens, it is the constitution that will guide the action we will take.
“These governors are familiar with the PDP constitution and are sworn to uphold it. If they take that action (endorsing a rival presidential candidate), we will make a decision in accordance with the provisions of the constitution, he said.
However, he expressed optimism that the governors would realize their mistake and embrace the party.
