Five aggrieved Governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike have formed the Integrity Group in Lagos, on Sunday.
Following a meeting held at the residence of former Deputy National Chairman of the party, Chief Olabode George, the group maintained its position on not supporting, funding or joining the presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
The Integrity Group also requested Dr. Iyorchia Ayu to vacate office as National Chairman.
Other Governors at the meeting are: Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Samuel Ortom (Benue).
Speaking before the meeting proceeded behind closed doors, Makinde stated that the G5 governors who were the face of their struggle were being backed by the leaders and elders of the party present at the meeting whom he said are now part of the newly formed Integrity Group.
Makinde said: “We are here this morning to hold a meeting of the Integrity Group within our party, the PDP. You’ve been of the G5 that is the five PDP governors. The G5 is all about the Integrity Group. You can see us, five serving governors, as the face of this struggle but the leaders and elders of the party that you see here are the people behind those faces.
“We are this morning in the South West to review the situation within our party, to review where we are and to also look at what is going to happen in the coming elections. At the end of our deliberations, you will be fully briefed on where we stand on those burning issues. On behalf of our leaders and elders in the South West, I want to welcome members of the Integrity Group…”
Former Governor of Ekiti, Ayo Fayose; Donald Duke of Cross River State; and Jonah Jang of Plateau; Deputy Chairman of the PDP, Taofeek Arapaja; Chief Dan Orbih, Senator Olaka Nwogu, Senator Mao Ohuanbunwa, Senator Nasif Suleiman, among others were all in attendance.
While briefing the media, former Governor Jang said there’s still a narrow window for reconciliation.
“We have reviewed the issues in our party and we, therefore, stand on the position we took at our last meeting in PortHarcourt and we hereby reiterate our position that the window for reconcilation in our great party, the PDP, remains open,” he said.
The group held a meeting held in Port Harcourt in September 20, stating that it would not be part of Atiku’s meeting.
George who read the communique then said the campaign council list released by the party which has the name of Wike is “putting the cart before horse”