we need another G5 in PDP, Akpabio urges Wike to form one in 2027

The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has urged the immediate past Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike to form another G5 alliance within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to ensure the smooth victory for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 presidential election.

Akpabio told Wike that such group was necessary within the PDP ahead of the next general elections to make things easier for his party, the APC.

The Senate President said this on Sunday, June 18, 2023, at a thanksgiving reception held at Wike’s private residence on Ada-George Road, in his hometown, Rumuepirikom in the Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of the oil-rich South-South state.

Akpabio, a former Akwa Ibom State governor, also used the occasion to thank Wike for backing the return of power to Southern Nigeria and supporting All Progressives Congress (APC)’s candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

“I want to thank you for all your efforts to bring justice to Nigeria,” the Senate President said.

“And I want to thank the G5 Governors.

“We are very delighted, we are proud to have G5. Please, ensure that in 2027, another G5 emerges so that APC will continue to do well in this country. And if you like, you can add two more, make it G7 and not only G5,” Akpabio added.

The G5 is a group of five governors within the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), who opposed their party’s decision to elect a northerner and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as its flag-bearer in the 2023 presidential election to succeed former President Muhammadu Buhari.

The members G5 are: Wike, the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, former Governors of Benue, Abia, and Enugu States, Samuel Ortom, Okezie Ikpeazu, and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

While some members of the group supported the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, Wike and Makinde support the APC presidential candidate Bola Ahmed Tinubu – who eventually won the election, in the February 25 presidential poll.