Governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, has said that the agitation for inclusiveness, fairness and equity by the group of five governors (G-5) led by Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, is not just about 2023 elections but efforts to strengthen mutual trust and fairness to all parts of the country.
Speaking during an interview in Aba, Abia State, he said that the group’s agitation also borders on integrity and keeping promises, which he said was lacking in current political system in the country.
“There is an issue, issue of integrity, issue of keeping promises, issue of making sure that if we say after me, it’s you and when that time comes it happens.
“It will stabilize us as a country, engender social mobilization sufficient to tackle our security problems, tackle the economic problems, tackle other problems that confront us in this country.
“Social mobilization is the most critical ingredient today beyond anything, inclusiveness, integrity, mutual respect, trust.
“So G-5 speaks to a new paradigm. It is beyond 2023, it speaks about a new paradigm. In 2027, I will still want a system that will include everybody irrespective of what the outcome of 2023 elections may be,” the governor said in a local TV interview.
The G-5 Governors comprise governors of Rivers, Abia, Enugu, Benue and Oyo states who said that they are fighting northern dominance of the main opposition party, the PDP.
They want the removal of Dr Iyorchia Ayu as the PDP chairman since another northerner (Atiku Abubakar) holds the party’s presidential ticket.
Ikpeazu said that the G-5 Governors are standing to speak up for those who are believed to be discriminated in the nation’s power play irrespective of what region is involved.
“We are saying, we want a strong North that respects the South, just as we want a strong South that has respect for the North.
“That way, our full capacities can be deployed to solve our problems,” the governor said.
With barely two months to the 2023 presidential election, all efforts to reconcile the governors to support Atiku, a former vice president of the country appears not to have yielded positive results as they insist on resignation of Ayu as a pre-condition to reaching a truce.