A spokesperson of the Atiku-Okowa Campaign, Kola Ologbondiyan, says Atiku Abubakar is on the same page with the Integrity Group of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who have maintained that the door remains open for negotiation with the Party’s presidential candidate.
Speaking on Channels Television Sunday Politics, the former PDP spokesperson said that following the meeting of the Integrity Group where they reiterated that their door remains open for negotiation, Atiku reaffirmed to him that he too is open for negotiation.
“When I read in the social media at the end of the meeting of the governors that they have opened the window of reconciliation, what came to my mind was that few days ago when the candidate of the party Atiku Abubakar met with the Guild of Editors in Lagos, he was very emphatic about his readiness for reconciliation.
“And even today after this meeting when I had opportunity to hold a discussion with him he was still very emphatic about the fact that the disposition of the governors as well as the members of this group tallies with his own position which is that, let us reconcile and pull together, not just in our own interest but collective interest of ordinary Nigerians who have been going through pains, anguish and sufferings under the leadership of the All Progressives Congress,” Ologbondiyan said.
The integrity group within the PDP led by the G5 governors have been in disagreement with the leadership of the party and its presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, insisting that the party Chairman Iyorchia Ayu resigns as he is from the same zone with the presidential candidate.
While their demand is yet to be met, at the end of their meeting in Lagos at the weekend, the group reiterated that they are still open to reconciliation talks.
The G5 Governors include Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu).
Asides the five governors, other party chieftains present at the Lagos meeting included former governors Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State; Donald Duke of Cross River State; and Jonah Jang of Plateau. Others were Deputy Chairman of the PDP, Taofeek Arapaja; Chief Dan Orbih, Senator Olaka Nwogu, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, Senator Nasif Suleiman, among others.