Former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Deputy National Chairman Chief Olabode George has said nobody can break the rank of G-5 governors and their allies who are protesting inequality and injustice in the opposition party.

He said yesterday’s visit by Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal to his Benue counterpart, Sam Ortom, who is a member of the Integrity Group, was in vain.

Tambuwal, who was in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, told reporters after a private meeting with Ortom, that his mission was to consult with his colleagues on the way forward on the crisis rocking the PDP.

Also yesterday, the PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, said he was waiting to reconcile with Wike, who he claimed to have met five times.

Atiku, who spoke at a a Town Hall meeting organised by Channels Television, said: “I have personally met Wike twice in Port Harcourt; twice in Abuja and once in London.”

Other members of the G-5 are: Governors Nyesom Wike (Rivers State), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia).

The governors have shunned the PDP presidential campaigns, insisting that they will not support Atiku, unless the national chairman, Senator Iyiocha Ayu, resigns.

George said the aggrieved five governors and their allies have resolved to stand by equity, fairness and justice to the end.

He said: “Divide and rule cannot work. Governor Ortom will not agree. He is a reasonable person.”

George, who spoke on phone, described the presidential candidate, Atiku, as an insincere person, wondering how a person who cannot restructure his party should be promising restructuring to the country.

He said he will not vote for him and he will not stop talking until the injustice in the party is addressed.

George said: “Our rank cannot be broken. Let the governor of Sokoto go to any where he likes. We will stand by justice.”

Justifying the stand of G-5, he added: “The Director-General of the campaign is from Sokoto, Northwest. The national chairman is from Northcentral. The presidential candidate is from Adamawa, Northeast.

“The acting chairman of BoT is from Southeast. The vice presidential candidate is from Southsouth. There is nothing for the Southwest. And you are fooling us. Which rank do they want to break? He cannot do restructuring in his party. He is promising restructuring for Nigeria. He is disrespecting Yoruba. We are standing by the truth. I won’t vote for him and I will not stop talking.”

George alleged that certain forces in the PDP have been denying Yoruba its sense of belonging, adding that their promises at campaigns are illusory.

Lamenting that Southwest has not filled the slot of national chairman in PDP since 1998, he said: “The first chairman, Chief Solomon Lar, came from Northcentral. Chief Barnabas Gemade is from Benue, Northcentral. Chief Audu Ogbeh is Benue, Northcentral. Dr. Ahmadu Ali is from Northcentral. Baraje is from Northcentral. Ayu is from Benue, Northcentral.

“Southwest has not served as chairman before. They have disregard, disrespect and dishonour for Southwest. We will not accept it. The Southwest is cut off from decision making organs of the party. It is sad. We cannot be slaves.”

George said he is not fighting a personal battle, pointing out that he is already an old man and a party elder.

He said: “What do I want again? But, it must be given to the Southwest. We have competent people who can be chairman.”

Ortom told Tambuwal that he alone cannot solve the PDP crisis without the involvement of his colleagues.

Speaking with reporters, shortly after his meeting with Ortom at Benue State House Makurdi, Tambuwal said:” I spoke with Governor Ortom on the way forward. I believe we can come out of the PDP crisis stronger as a party, because the issues at stake are summon-table.”

The Sokoto governor said he will also meet with other aggrieved governors as part of effort to douse tension in the party and present a common front ahead of next year’s general election.

Ortom blamed leaders of the PDP for failing to nip in the bud the crisis, shortly after the PDP convention.

The governor said he told his guest that if their conditions are met, peace will return to PDP.

(The Nation)

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