2023: Atiku Loses Out As Wike, Makinde, Others Back Tinubu, Ortom Pitch Tent With Peter Obi

• Atiku has lost out as Wike, Makinde, others back Tinubu.

THE NATION REPORTERS reports that four of the Five aggrieved Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors – Nyesom Wike of Rivers State; Seyi Makinde of Oyo State; Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State – may have concluded plans to back the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Our correspondent understands that this is coming after multiple failed attempts to reconcile the aggrieved Governors led by Wike and the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

Recall that during in an interview with Voice of America (VOA), Hausa Service, Atiku had stated that the main opposition party had moved on.

However, the fifth member of the G-5 governors, the governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, Saturday Sun learnt may not align with the position expected to be taken by his four colleagues in the weeks to come.

A source disclosed that the governors, having failed to resolve their differences with Atiku Abubakar, are weighing their options between Tinubu and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP).

Ortom For Obi, Wike For Tinubu

According to the source, Ortom appears to be the only governor among the five, who may pitch his tent with Obi, while the other four will likely back Tinubu if certain conditions already tabled before the APC candidate are met.

It was gathered that part of the conditions include some certain positions in Tinubu’s cabinet being ceded to their cronies if he wins next year’s election.

The source, who is familiar with the development, said though the aggrieved governors do not plan on quitting the PDP because of their candidates and personal ambition, they will work for the APC from within.

“Wike has already kick-started the move, with the appointment of thousands of aides, expected to man the various polling units during the elections in Rivers State,” the source said.

“Wike and Atiku can’t reconcile. Wike needs to support a candidate and that person is likely to be Tinubu. They’ve been meeting. Wike seems to be more confident with Tinubu, so, he’s pitching his tent with the APC candidate. But he has given certain conditions which are not very strident for Tinubu to meet. We expect to see some sudden alliance soon unless something happens otherwise. Ugwuanyi, Makinde, and Ikpeazu are with him. You saw when Makinde’s deputy declared in Akure, Ondo State capital that Oyo State governor will support Tinubu.”

On Ortom’s stance, the source said: “Ortom is taking a different position for now. We don’t know if that will change. But these are the current realities. Tinubu is making serious progress, while Atiku appears to be stuck and he believes only votes from the North will save him.”

You’re One Of The Finest Presidential Candidates – Ortom Tells Peter Obi

Recall that Ortom had recently said Peter Obi would be a good choice for Nigerians in the 2023 election.

Speaking last Wednesday when he received the former Governor of Anambra State in his office in Makurdi, the state capital, Ortom commended the LP presidential candidate for coming to the state again to express support for flood victims in the North Central state.

The governor had said Obi has the capacity to rescue Nigeria from economic and security challenges, describing him as one of the finest presidential candidates for the 2023 elections.

He said: “If Nigeria needs to make a choice, Peter Obi one of the finest candidates that we have in this country.

“In terms of education, in terms of character, in terms of performance, in terms of reaching out, in terms of being a pan-Nigerian, in terms of industrialization, and passion to ensure that our country is liberated from where we are; out of insecurity to security, and out of economic woes to economic vibrancy and out of lack to adequate social life, you have the capacity to make things work.

The governor advised Nigerians not to consider party or ethnicity in the forthcoming presidential election but the capacity of a candidate to address the country’s problems.

Ortom said once God decides on who to be Nigeria’s next President, nobody or structure can stop such a person.

“From your antecedents, you have the capacity to be the next President. If I were God, I would have said everything but I am not God.

“If I were not in PDP, Peter Obi would have been my candidate but I am in PDP, that is my handicap but my prayers are with you,” he told Obi.