G-5 GOVERNORS: UGWUANYI, ORTOM, MAKINDE LOSE ELECTIONS AFTER DUMPING ATIKU

 

1st March, 2023

 

Like the popular slang in Nigeria, ‘lass lass everybody go chop breakfast’, three among the five aggrieved Governors elected under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who vowed to retire the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar politically may have gotten their own share of the heartbreak.

 

Recall that the governors, Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abi State, Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and their leader, the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike had in what may be described as anti-party activities, decided to support presidential candidate from another party, jettisoning Atiku’s bid.

 

The PDP leadership crisis began after Wilke failed to secure the party’s ticket to contest for the nation’s top job in May 2022.

 

Prior to the primary election that produced the former vice president as PDP flagbearer, Southern governors had unanimously agreed that President Muhammadu Buhari’s successor must emerge from the South.

 

However, the PDP primary election did not favour Southerners, especially Wike, as Atiku secured a total of 371 votes to defeat the Rivers Governor who garnered 237 votes in the May 2022 primary election.

 

Angered by the outcome of the primary election, Wike and the four other governors demanded the resignation of the party’s National Chairman Iyorchia Ayu.

 

According to the governors, it would be unfair to the South for the North to produce the presidential candidate and still have the party’s chairman at the same time.

 

Ayu’s refusal to resign prompted the move by the governors to back either Peter Obi of Labour Party or Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress for the presidential poll.

 

The G-5 had a series of meetings with Tinubu in London over how to strike a deal ahead of the last Saturday presidential election, but some of the governors failed to agree.

 

Although there was no official announcement, it was crystal clear that Wike, Makinde and Ugwuanyi resolved to support the APC candidate.

 

Contrary to that, Governor Ortom publicly endorsed the former Anambra Governor, saying he was the best among the three major contenders.

 

There were indications prior to the Saturday elections that Ikpeazu made a U-turn and resolved to support the PDP candidate, Atiku.

 

Although Wike was not contesting for any elective position, Ortom, Ugwanyi and Ikpeazu were running for senatorial seats in their various districts.

 

Makinde, who is running for his second term, had some of his loyalists running for Senate in the three senatorial districts in Oyo State.

 

The results being announced by the officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, however, has not been favouring the G-5.

 

Ortom

 

The Benue Governor lost the senatorial election to the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Titus Zam, his former Special Adviser on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

 

Zam, a strong disciple of the former governor of the state, George Akume, polled 143,151 votes to defeat Ortom who scored 106,882 while Labour Party candidate, Mike Gbillah scored 51,950.

 

Ortom had on Monday reacted to the outcome of the election, saying he would study it and take appropriate action.

 

Ugwuanyi

 

Governor Ugwuanyi, who is rounding off his second term as governor of Enugu State, lost his senatorial bid to the Labour Party, LP, candidate for the Enugu North Senatorial District election, Okechukwu Ezea.

 

The Returning Officer for the poll, Chukwuemeka Ubaka, announced the result at the collation centre of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Nsukka Local Government Area headquarters on Monday.

 

Mr Ezea, the LP candidate, polled a total of 104,492 votes to defeat Mr Ugwuanyi of the PDP, who came second with 46,948 votes.

 

Makinde

 

The Oyo State governor who is preparing for his possible re-election on March 11 under the PDP, lost all the three senatorial districts to the ruling party.

 

Senator Abdulfatai Buhari won Oyo North, Dr Yunus Akintunde also claimed Oyo Central, while Barrister Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli was declared winner of Oyo South. They all contested under APC.

 

DAILY POST reports that currently, there is tension in Makinde’s camp over his re-election bid as the ruling party may unseat him in the March elections.

 

Ikpeazu

 

INEC on Tuesday declared the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Enyinnaya Abaribe the winner of Saturday’s senatorial election in Abia South District.

 

The Returning Officer for Abia South National Assembly elections, Georgina Ugwuanyi made the declaration before party agents at the collation centre in Aba.

 

She said Mr Abaribe got the highest number of votes in the election, having scored 49,903 votes.

 

According to her, the Labour Party (LP) candidate, Chinedu Onyeizu, scored 43,903, while Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of the Peoples Democratic Party scored 28,422 votes to come third.

 

Prior to the announcement of the election results, there were a series of protests in the state over alleged moves by the authority to alter the original results.