Rivers State governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike and other aggrieved Peoples Democratic Party governors, including Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Samuel Ortom (Benue) and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu states may make public their preferred presidential candidate on January 5, barring any unforeseen circumstances.
A reliable source said that the governors who are meeting in London, United Kingdom, might have decided to heed to the advice of former President Olusegun Obasanjo that they should support the Labour party presidential candidate, Peter Obi in 2023.
“The governors are considering Obasanjo’s advice that the Presidency should come to the South in 2023. Obasanjo has advised them to support Obi because he believes that if the Presidency comes to the South, it should go to the South East.
“That is why at their last meeting in London, he lobbied for Obi because justice and fairness demand that South-East should produce the next president.’’
“From all indications, the governors will announce their preferred candidate next week. If there is no major event before January 5 when Makinde will kick off his campaign, they will make the announcement on that day in Ibadan”, the source said.
However, another source revealed that there seems to be a crack in the fold as to support between Obi and the All Progressives Congress standard bearer, Bola Tinubu.
It would be recalled that the aggrieved governors had parted ways with the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, following his alleged refusal to prevail on the PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu to resign after Atiku, a northerner clinched the presidential ticket of the party.
The Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom had declared his love and preference for the former Anambra State governor and Labour party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, whom he said could deliver Nigeria, recently.
Also, Gov. Wike had at a public function in Port Harcourt, on Thursday stated that the decision on which presidential candidate to moblise votes for in the forthcoming 2023 general election has been taken and will be revealed in January, 2023.
