From Ahmad SAKA, Bauchi
Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir has explained that he felt the pains of the G5 governors ledby Governor Nyesom Wike and assured them that he’s “highly connected with each one of them”.
G5 Governors are Governor Nyesom Wike, (Rivers) Samuel Ortom (Benue); Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), and Seyi Makinde (Oyo).
Governor Bala stated this on Wednesday when the G5 governors paid him a ‘solidarity’ visit at the Ramat House in Bauchi, He said that he was happy receiving them in Bauchi. “The Governors of G5, they called themselves ‘Integrity Group’. I’m supposed to be with them but they excommunicated me for some reason best known to them. But I’m highly connected with them, each and every one of them. There is no day that I don’t call to speak with each of them.
“Because in politics, you go with the people that you share something in common with. The presidency that we ran where my brother was defeated and he defeated me has brought us close. Of course, at the Governors Forum one thing I appreciate about them is that they look at your challenges even though they are not running for a second term but they are always worried.
“We have something in common. They know that I have challenges of anti-party, challenges of under acting in some treachery and mischief and of course politics is about all these but when you know that you have people behind you, of that stature and that calibre you feel fulfilled,” he said.
Leader of the group, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State said that: “We come here in solidarity with our friend, the Governor of Bauchi State. We know that he’s running for a second term in office and what we are doing to those of our friends is to find out how things are with them, how the elections are going. This period is a period to identify with your friends.”
“Luckily, four of us that are here are not running for a second term in office, even though they are running for senate I’m the only one who is not running for election after I failed at the (presidential) primary (election). Going forward, nothing more but just to fraternise with him. If there is any area we can help and advice because what affects him also affects us. Nothing more than that, just to say how are you doing and planning,” Wike said.
On the disagreement between the group and the Peoples Democratic Party PDP Presidential candidate ,Governor Wike said that the door of reconciliation is still open in PDP as the party stands for fairness, equity and justice.
The governor said that as one of the leaders of the G-5 Governors, they are in the state for reconciliation and have never closed the door to anyone who wants to reconcile with the party.
“We have never closed the door for reconciliation, that is all we are saying for equity, justice and fairness, that is the Hall-mark of what the party stands for.What we are saying is that let the rigth thing be done, if the rigth thing is done, you will see how the country will know that the election is over.
“This G-5 Governors you are seeing is the bedrock of the party, so we will not close the door for reconciliation, we are in for reconciliation any day, anytime,” he said.
Recall that Nyesom Wike, Seyi Makinde, Samuel Ortom, Okezie Ikpeazu and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Governors of Rivers, Oyo, Benue, Abia and Enugu states respectively have since formed a potent alliance against the Atiku Abubakar/Ifeanyi Okowa ticket, threatening to swing votes against the party unless Ayu honours his words.
Governors in attendance during the visit were, Nyesom Wike of Rivers, Samuel Ortom of Benue, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia, and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State while Seyi Makinde of Oyo State was said to be in the United States.
