Atiku Dumps Makinde For Adeleke, Bypasses G-5

Atiku Dumps Makinde For Adeleke, Bypasses G-5

The possibility of a truce between Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar and the five disgruntled governors before next year’s election has vanished.

A crucial meeting between the two sides in Port-Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, which their representatives described as final, broke down due to irreconcilable differences.

After the talks fell through, the presidential candidate decided to look beyond the disgruntled governors and their allies.

Atiku has replaced Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde as the Coordinator of his Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) in the Southwest with Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke.

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The governors, led by Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, rejected a proposal by Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, who represented Atiku, that the G-5, also known as the Integrity Group, would be addressed after the election.

Samuel Ortom (Benue), Makinde (Oyo), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi attended the meeting (Enugu).

The governor of Adamawa had pleaded with his colleagues to make another sacrifice by focusing more on the election rather than insisting on their truce conditions.

Ayu had promised to resign ahead of the presidential primary in Abuja if a northerner was chosen as flagbearer.

However, the chairman, who broke his promise, was supported by Atiku, who explained that the party constitution’s provisions on the selection and removal of the chairman should be followed.

According to a party source, Wike, speaking on behalf of the G-5, stated that they would not participate in the PDP presidential campaigns or lend any support to Atiku in their respective states ahead of the election.

According to the source, Fintiri and other party leaders’ pleas to the aggrieved governors to sheath their swords and retrace their steps were met with deafening silence.

The source added: “Both sides, those representing Atiku and the G-5, tended to believe that that may be the last reconciliation meeting aimed at resolving the conflict.

“The only concession that Fintiri could guarantee on behalf of Atiku was that the five governors should wait till when the candidate wins before the national chairman can resign.

“As usual, G-5 rejected the proposal and maintained their ground that Ayu should go.”

Following the breakdown of what looked like a final peace move, the former vice president has decided to continue with his campaigns across the country without the involvement of the Integrity Group.

He has reached out to his old allies in the five states, particularly those who are not on the same page with the aggrieved governors and drafted them to his zonal and state campaign structures.

The change of mobilisation tactics by Atiku has further pitted him against Makinde, Ortom, Ikpeazu, Ugwuanyi and Wike, who have turned the heat on chieftains being recruited by Atiku into his campaign from the respective states

In the Southwest, Atiku has dumped Makinde and opted for  Adeleke as regional coordinator.

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The source said: “Alhaji Atiku is bypassing Governor Makinde. He has appointed Adeleke as Southwest Campaign Coordinator. Adeleke will coordinate activities in Southwest from Ibadan, Oyo State capital.

“He is also wooing his old friends and other chieftains who are fanatical supporters of the PDP across the six states.”

On what is likely to be Makinde’s next step, the source said: “Governor Makinde is campaigning for a second term.

“He is consolidating his PDP base.”

When contacted, PDP campaign spokesman declined comment.