Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has denied report that the group of five governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who are demanding the resignation of the party’s National Chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, had agreed to support the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The group (formerly known as G-5, but now christened as Integrity Group) reportedly had a meeting with Tinubu in London earlier in the week and gave its support to him in the February 25 presidential election.
The group is led by Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and also has Oyo State Governor Seyi, Makinde, his Abia State counterpart Okezie Ikpeazu and that of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
Special Assistant to the President on New Media, Bashir Ahmad, posted on his Twitter account a statement that suggested that the Integrity Group made a good offer to Tinubu.
“The offer put forward by the five governors was fantastically positive. That will definitely help us to seal our imminent victory in 2023. Let’s do it together”, he had written.
However, any suggestion of an agreement has now been denied by the group, which maintained that there was no such thing.
The group disclosed that they would not be afraid to tell Nigerians whatever they might be involved in.
In a telephone chat with Nigerian Tribune from London, Ortom was reported to have dismissed the claim of an agreement to support Tinubu.
He said that with their standing and experience, if they came to any decision, they would be the ones to inform Nigerians.
On the alleged pact with Tinubu, Ortom declared: “It’s not true. There is nothing like that. As experienced as we are, if we are doing anything, we will let the public know.”
The governors are expected to arrive in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State, on Friday. and have an engagement with the media.
The governors also dared their party to expel them should they decide to choose another candidate to support in 2023 other than Atiku.
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