Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State, and chairman, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Presidential Campaign Council, PCC, has said he always feels empty without the five aggrieved governors of the party, the ‘G5’ governors on campaign platform.
Emmannuel made the assertion on Thursday, December 22, 2022, while fielding questions from journalists shortly after a private meeting with one of the G5 Governor’s, governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State at Government House Uyo.
He explained that there was need for all of them to reconcile and work together again in order to ensure the party coasts to victory in the 2023 general elections.
He, however, assured Nigerians, especially party faithful that aside participation in the presidential campaigns that all the PDP governors notable for their outstanding performances, were still intact working for the interest of the party.
His words: “We all came in as a family, whether you like it or not These are brothers. Even in the parable of the lost sheep in the Bible only one sheep got missing and Jesus Christ left the rest and went after that one, how much more when you have brothers that are up to five?
“You turn around on a campaign platform you don’t see them suddenly you will feel you need them. These are people you started together. I think I still feel empty that we are all not together on a campaign platform.
” But when it comes to governance we are all together and we have mutual respect for each other. We listened to each other and we try to look at the way forward. And I want to believe it is getting to that point where sacrifices must be made so that there can be peace.
“Someone like me, I am pursuing peace and I want peace to reign and once we can achieve that our party will coast into victory. Governor Ortom made a statement and I am sure you listened to him. I agree 100 percent with him that we are ready to make peace.
“And I can assure our party that these are governors who have structures, and something to show. These are governors who have capacity. We will do everything possible to put the house together on the 2023 campaigns, but when it comes to governance we are still as in tact as ever”.
Similarly, Governor Samuel Ortom who noted that they are still with the PDP, however, expressed their displeasure over the inability of the party’s leadership to deploy its conflict resolution mechanism to resolve the internal grievance in the party.
, “We were not happy with the national leadership of our party as it had not been able to deploy its conflict resolution mechanism internally to solve the problems, the grievance that we have. Governor Udom is one of us, he is a governor like the rest of us.
“And in politics, dialogue is key towards resolving conflicts and problems that may arise as a result of conventions or congresses. Talking to each other will definitely strengthen the fortunes of the party. And politics as you know is a game of interest, with no permanent enemy and permanent friend, but permanent interest.
“We have never said we have turned our back on dialogue and reconciliation, if the terms are met, why not, we will work if it fits in our own interest”, he added, insisting that disregarding them despite their respective huge support bases, was not the best solution’ Gov Ortom said
