It is now very clear that the five unrepentant governors in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have drawn a battle line with the party’s leadership and are unwilling to shift grounds on their demand for the removal of the Chairman of the party, Iyorcha Ayu.
The governors, Seyi Makinde of (Oyo state), Ikpeazu Okozie (Abia), Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Ifeanyi Ugwanyi (Enugu) and Samuel Ortom of Benue State, reaffirmed their stand in Makurdi the Benue State Capital, saying that what they are fighting for, is not for their selfish interests but for entire Southern Nigeria pointing out, that if they don’t reject it now, the zone would be cheated forever.
According to them, what they are doing is for prosperity, and they would not be forgiven if they didn’t fight it out and things were sorted out once and for all.
They argued that it was unfair for the North to produce the presidential candidate and hold on to the party’s chairmanship.
They described the party’s action as an injustice and a big insult to the people of the Southern parts of Nigeria.
All five governors are now in Makurdi to witness the commissioning of some laudable projects of their colleague, Samuel Ortom of Benue State, who today is being referred to as the “saviour” of his people.
Governor Ortom, for the past eight years, has been at the forefront of governors in Nigeria, battling the incursions of the Fulani herders who have been terrorising their people and killing them indiscriminately.
The Fulani invasion of the Benue people has been a continuous one, which occurs on daily bases unabated.
Governor Ortom has been outspoken and not mincing words to condemn what he described as the carefree attitude of the present APC Federal government over the killings of his people.
His outburst made him have a brush with the authorities, as he was the first governor to declare that if the federal government failed to do something about the killings in Benue, he would be forced to arm his people to defend themselves.
Governor Makinde, who spoke in Markurdi about Ortom, said he remains the man of the people who deserve to be celebrated.
He pointed out that they were struggling to liberate the people of the Southern part of Nigeria from the injustice meted them in the party. They were not going to relent on their demand until justice was done.
Governor Ikpeazu, on his part, argued that they have made up their minds to stay in PDP and would not be shy to keep drumming up their demand for the removal of Ayu.
It would be recalled that the five governors have been together since after the presidential primary of u PDP, which produced Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and insisted that in keeping with the constitution of the party and the promise of Ayu that if the North becomes the flag bearer of the party, he will resign.
That has been their stand since then. Meanwhile, there were indications that the Wike’s group could swell to six as it is speculated that the Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, is likely to join them. It was said that he is angry with Atiku Atiku, who he alleged would not back his second term but work for someone else.