A member of the National Executive Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, Diran Odeyemi, has said the Integrity Group in the PDP, comprising the G-5 governors and some disgruntled party chieftains, is alive.
He said it was untrue that the party leaders had gone their separate ways.
The group, led by former Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, had in the run-up to the general elections opposed the candidacy of Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential candidate while demanding that power should revert to the South after Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure. They also demanded the resignation or sacking of the embattled former National Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu.
The governors in the G-5 group include Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, former governors Samuel Ortom, Okezie Ikpeazu and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Benue, Abia and Enugu states respectively. Similarly, the Integrity Group has as members a former National Vice Chairman of the party, Chief Bode George, former governors Olusegun Mimiko, Ayo Fayose and Jonah Jang, and former Minister of Information, Prof Jerry Gana.
Diran, a former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, stated this in an interview with Sunday PUNCH in Abuja.
On Friday last week, Makinde and Wike were at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja in solidarity with President Bola Tinubu. On Thursday, the G-5 also met with the President.
Meanwhile, Odeyemi said the group would soon speak on the state of affairs in the PDP.
He said, “The Integrity Group is not dead. Expect the group to say something soon. As far as they are yet to make an official declaration for another party, they are still members of the PDP and they are not going to be silent for long.
“Yes, their body language, especially that of Wike, is suspicious but you can’t really blame him. The party has been watching and has not said anything to address the issues. Ortom, Ugwuanyi and Ikpeazu have been quiet for a while now but there is no doubt that all five of them are in touch.”
Reminded that Wike’s endorsement of subsidy removal is at variance with the stand of the PDP which through its spokesman, Debo Ologunagba, earlier in the week, said President Tinubu was living true to his promise of sustaining Muhammadu Buhari’s legacy, Odeyemi noted that Wike’s position did not come as a surprise to those who had been keen observers of his conduct in recent times.
“This is not the first time Wike is taking a position against that of the PDP but the party has not said anything. If you take a look at the tussle for the leadership of the 10th National Assembly, the PDP has not made its position clear on who to support for the president of the Senate and the speaker of the House of Representatives. In this conundrum, if Wike chooses to support anyone he believes in, will you blame him?
“It was reported that they boycotted a recent event organised by the PDP Governors’ Forum. I don’t think that is enough to say that they have turned their backs against the PDP. The event put together by the Governors’ Forum was not a party affair. So, let’s wait and see if they will turn up for a PDP event, especially one that requires the presence of NEC members.”
