A chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Yekini Nabena, noted that the five aggrieved Governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), lack the political weight to influence the result in favour of any presidential candidate in the forthcoming general election.
Nabena, therefore, charged the APC leadership to desist from romancing the estranged governors.
The Governors are: Wike of Rivers, Samuel Ortom of Benue, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu, Seyi Makinde of Oyo, and Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia.
He issued this warning while feeding questions from journalists in Abuja, Friday.
Speaking on whether his party would welcome the G-5 if they adopt Bola Ahmed Tinubu as presidential candidate, Nabena said, “The G-5 governors are confused and handicapped whether as PDP men or as supporter of any opposition party.
“We have been hearing all manners of things. Today they are with Asiwaju, tomorrow they are with Peter Obi and next tomorrow they may work for Atiku. Which one do we believe?
“If they support our party and we win in the February presidential election, our members won’t see the G-5 governors as an ally to be trusted. Again if they change their minds and work for Atiku, and (God forbid) PDP wins after all they have told Nigerians, they will still be treated like pariahs. The same treatment will befall them in Labour Party. Therefore, give or take, these governors are losers in waiting.
“The new Electoral law has reduced dramatically influence of seating governors to do magic during election unless the electoral umpire decides to handover the process to them. The less performing governors are the worst for it because electorates won’t listen to them on election day.
“Again, the new innovations as introduced by INEC, if religiously followed, is another challenge for those who think they can sway the vote. This BVAS is not anybody’s mate. People will decide and not governors any longer.
“I will advise those who are still waiting on the G-5 governors to shift their attention to the real voters because these governors won’t be at the polling unit on election day,” Nabena said.
While assessing his party’s presidential campaigns, Nabena said, “Tinubu’s candidacy is nationwide accepted, that’s why you see massive support wherever the campaign train goes.
“By the God’s grace victory is certain for the APC and that’s why I don’t think we need the support of these paperweigh G-5 governors because it will be unfair to our leaders in these five states who are working hard and mobilising for our candidate (Bola Tinubu) to be relegated for the PDP governors.”
