says the man that calls himself Mr. unifier isn’t
Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has praised the former Governor of River State Nyesom Wike, as the true unifier, taking a swipe at the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
He made the statement at the St. Peter’s Anglican Church Rumuepirikom Deanery, Port Harcourt, on Sunday, June 18, 2023.
The event was a special Family Thanksgiving Service in honour of the former Rivers governor for his successful eight years service to the state and people of the River State, of which the Oyo State Governor was a guest.
“We have a Senate President that is of APC. We have senators both APC and PDP. Someone calls himself Mr. unifier, but from what I see here in this room, the true unifier is Governor Nyesom Wike. Because everybody from North and South is in this place. Now he’s been called so many names,” Makinde noted.
Over the years, Atiku Abubakar has enjoyed the sobriquets of Nigeria’s unifier, a title that has placed him in politically advantageous edge over others, as being the man for all Nigerian, regardless of the ethnic or religious affiliations.
2023 general elections pitched him against the title – in an unusual confrontation with his political ambition, to takeover Nigeria’s leadership, after a grueling eight years of a fellow Muslim and Fulani tribes man as Nigeria’s President, undermining the agitation for power shift.
Atiku emergence as the People Democratic Party presidential candidate threw the party into crisis, fragmenting it into different loyalty blocks, resulting to the formation of 5 GOVERNORS, known as the G5.
The G5 comprises of the aggrieved governors – Seyi Makinde, Samuel Ortom, Okezie Ikpeazu, Nyesom Wike, Ifeanyi Ugwanyi, who kicked against Atiku’s emergence and the refusal of the resignation of the party Chairman, Professor Iyorchia Ayu.
Their argument was that for the sake of equity, justice, and fairness the party presidential flag bearer and the chairman should not be from the same zone – of which Atiku and Ayu are from the north.
Atiku stuck to his conviction to support Ayu all the way, a politically costly action that escalated the grievances in the party, leading to the governors, popularly known as G5, withdrawing their support from his presidential bid and surreptitiously working for the APC and the Presidential flag bearer, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In the aftermath, Atiku Abubakar of the PDP and his counterpart in the LP – Peter Obi were defeated by President Bola Tinubu in a controversial election many thought was rigged in the latter’s favour.
Wike and Makinde were believed to have supported the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate against their own party.
The G5 led by Wike hasn’t hidden their support and political romance with President Tinubu’s and the ruling party, sparking public accusation of his intention to decamp. A report he has refuted.
