How G-5 helped Obi defeat Atiku in Edo, C’River during 2023 election — Wike

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Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has revealed how the G-5 governors strategically worked against the presidential ambition of the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in the South-South during the 2023 election.

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Wike disclosed this on Monday during an interview on TVC’s Journalists’ Hangout where he explained that the G-5 identified Atiku and the strength of the PDP in the region as a major concern and decided to allow Labour Party candidate Peter Obi to win some states.

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He said, “How did he win? When the G-5, we sat, we had our strategy. We said in Edo, PDP is stronger in the South-South. Our problem will be Atiku. Therefore, instead of Atiku to take it, let it go to the Labour Party. That was our strategy. Cross River, the same thing. That’s what we did.”

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He, however, said the group deliberately stopped Obi from winning Rivers State because of the political implications of such a victory.

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“It was only Rivers that said, ‘No, we have a problem here in Rivers. Obi will not win here because if he wins, he sends a signal somewhere, people may not understand it.’ And we stopped…we stopped it,” Wike said.

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The G5 governors were PDP governors who opposed Atiku Abubakar’s presidential candidacy in 2023, arguing that the party’s presidential ticket should be zoned to the South after eight years of a northern presidency under Muhammadu Buhari.

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The group comprised Seyi Makinde of Oyo, Samuel Ortom of Benue, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia, Nyesom Wike of Rivers and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu.

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Wike said the strategy was adopted in Edo and Cross River, where the PDP was considered strong, to prevent Atiku from benefiting from the votes.

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The FCT minister said the G-5’s strategy was based on the belief that if the PDP failed to win in the South-South, it would hurt Atiku’s chances, while an Obi victory would not significantly advance the Labour Party candidate’s presidential bid.

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“But we agreed that, look, Atiku is a problem, PDP is strong in the South-South. So if PDP does not win in South-South, it’s a disadvantage to Atiku. Obi winning will not help Obi anywhere. We did that. We did that,” he said.

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Wike subsequently questioned Obi’s ability to replicate his 2023 performance in the region ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

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He specifically questioned how Obi would win Cross River, Akwa Ibom and Delta states under the current political circumstances.

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“In Cross River now, how will Obi win? In Akwa Ibom, how will he win? In Delta, how will he win?” Wike asked.

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Wike also said the political circumstances that helped Obi in 2023 had changed, particularly the controversy surrounding the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket.

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He said, “Under 2023 there was this campaign of Christianity, there was this campaign of Muslim-Muslim ticket. There was, there was, seriously, seriously.”

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According to Wike, the Muslim-Muslim ticket controversy no longer had the same influence.

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He said, “It’s no longer there now. It’s no longer there. No more like Muslim-Muslim ticket. Well, it doesn’t work. Tinubu has been able to kill that.”

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Wike further said the support Obi enjoyed in the South-East during the 2023 election was no longer the same.

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“What people, what we know now, Obi does not have it, and he won’t have it,” he said.

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He then advised Obi to focus on the 2031 election rather than the 2027 contest, saying, “For this election, leave it for Tinubu. Prepare for 2031. And that’s the truth of the matter.”

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