2027 Election: Wike, Ex-PDP Governors Under Fire Over Visit to Tinubu, “Alarming”

• PDP chieftain Umar Sani has said the time for the PDP leadership to ‘confront Nyesom Wike’s alleged acts of betrayal with decisive action is now’
• Sani waded in after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu met with Wike, the FCT minister; and some controversial chieftains of the PDP at the presidential villa in Abuja on Saturday evening, June 14
• Sani asked the opposition party to enforce strict discipline, saying “it is time to draw the line and uphold the integrity of the party”

Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering elections, politics, and governance in Nigeria.

FCT, Abuja - Following Nyesom Wike’s latest visit to President Bola Tinubu, Umar Sani, spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential campaign council in the 2019 election, has asked the party to obligatorily “draw the line”

Legit.ng reports that Wike led three former PDP governors to President Bola Tinubu on Saturday, June 14.

Wike, other PDP chieftains fraternise with Tinubu

The meeting which was held at the Aso Rock presidential villa included Wike’s close allies in the PDP and members of the defunct G5, a group that broke rank with the party's leadership in the build-up to the 2023 election.

Present at the meeting were Ayodele Fayose, Samuel Ortom and Okezie Ikpeazu, former governors of Ekiti, Benue and Abia states respectively.

The specifics of their discussions were not disclosed but the meeting is believed to be a move toward political realignment ahead of the 2027 election.

Legit.ng recalls that ahead of the 2023 presidential election, Wike led the G5 governors to work against the PDP and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

The governors, who opposed Atiku Abubakar’s emergence as the party’s candidate argued that the party’s presidential ticket should have been zoned to the South.

The crisis that ensued prompted the G5 governors to support Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

After winning the election, Tinubu appointed Wike as the minister of the federal capital territory (FCT).

Reacting to Wike and allies’ weekend visit to President Tinubu, Sani described it as “troubling”.

He wrote on his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle on Sunday, June 15:

“The troubling image circulating on social media, featuring members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) G5 group including Samuel Ortom, a member of the Party’s Board of Trustees, and Ayodele Fayose, a former Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum after a political meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is not just disappointing; it is utterly alarming.

“This reunion of the discredited G5 epitomizes the betrayal that undermined the PDP during the 2023 presidential election, sending a dangerous signal to loyal party members and the Nigerian public. These individuals flagrantly disregarded the collective will of the PDP, actively campaigned against the party’s presidential candidate, and played a pivotal role in the APC's rise to power. Their brazen willingness to embrace the very figure they purportedly helped install, without a shred of shame or accountability, is a direct affront to every committed member of the PDP.”

He added:

“The participation of Samuel Ortom as a sitting BoT member elevates this from a mere personal visit to a matter of grave ethical and political concern regarding party discipline and unity. Likewise, Ayodele Fayose’s involvement, given his history as a former chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, represents a severe betrayal of both legacy and responsibility. Okezie Ikpeazu, who recently rallied party loyalists for the 2027 gubernatorial race in Abia State, now clandestinely meets with the leader of the opposition, further exposing the G5's parting from PDP ideals and highlighting the urgent need for decisive borders.

“Notably absent from this disgraceful gathering are Seyi Makinde, whose political ambitions may have kept him from publicly aligning, and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, whose absence may be coincidental. However, their omission speaks volumes about the fractured and opportunistic state of what remains of the G5.”

Furthermore, Sani stated that the meeting “transcends mere optics; it perpetuates a dangerous cycle of disloyalty, disobedience, and self-serving interests.”

Sani wrote:

“If the PDP hopes to rebuild and assert itself as a credible alternative in Nigeria’s political landscape, it can no longer tolerate acts of sabotage masquerading as political consultations. Silence at this critical juncture would be identical to complicity.”

Read more on the 2027 election:

• 2027 election: Primate Ayodele prophesies showdown, advises Tinubu on Shettima
• 2027 election: Kwankwaso breaks silence amid alleged plot to rejoin APC
• Pastor predicts north and south-east alliance ahead of 2027 election, mentions what will happen

Wike says not contesting against Tinubu

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Wike said that he would not be contesting in the 2027 presidential election against President Tinubu.

The minister declared that he remains a member of the PDP.

Source: Legit.ng