By Adegboyega Adeleye
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, and former Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has rejected claims that he is the only member of the former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) G5 governors enjoying the favour of President Bola Tinubu.
Wike said other members of the group have also benefited from the Tinubu administration, citing former Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, former Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde.
He spoke on TVC News’ Journalists’ Hangout on Monday while responding to questions about his relationship with President Tinubu and the political fate of the former G5 governors ahead of the 2027 elections.
“I do not understand what they say by enjoying Mr President,” Wike said, recalling the process that preceded Tinubu’s appointment of him as a minister.
He said he had consulted the PDP at the state, zonal and national levels before accepting the appointment, adding that party stakeholders unanimously supported his participation in the Federal Government.
“When I was nominated by Mr President to be considered as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I did write to the party. First of all, I wrote to my Governor; I wrote to my party at the state, zone, and national level that see what I have seen; what is your position?
“All of them, in a unanimous decision, said, look, you have to be a part of the government because we believe that our contribution will make a change, so everybody supported my being a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, so the issue of only me enjoying is neither here nor there.”
Wike then listed the current positions and benefits he said other former G5 members had received under Tinubu.
“Let me also say clearly that, today as I speak to you, my dear brother, Gov. Ikpaezu is currently the Ambassador representing Nigeria in Spain,” he said.
“Luckily, I was there to attend his presentation and received his letter of Credence on the 14th of September.”
He also cited former Enugu Governor Ugwuanyi, saying: “My dear brother, Gov Ugwuanyi is the ambassador representing Nigeria in Greece, which I learnt has received his letter of Credence.”
On Makinde, Wike said the President had also extended support to the Oyo State governor.
“And Gov. Seyi, the president has also extended his hand of support to the governor of Oyo State by providing funds for him to expand Oyo airport with a whopping sum of 50 billion naira,” he said.
Wike said the only former G5 governor who had not taken up a position in the Tinubu administration was former Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom.
“I do know that it is only my brother, Gov. Ortom, who said he does not want a position but wants to continue to work for Mr President,” he said.
The former G5 governors — Wike, Ikpeazu, Ugwuanyi, Ortom and Makinde — were at the centre of the PDP’s internal crisis ahead of the 2023 presidential election, with the group refusing to support the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, unless then National Chairman Iyorchia Ayu stepped down.
The group’s political positions have since diverged, with Wike serving as a minister in the APC-led Federal Government, while Ikpeazu and Ugwuanyi have taken up ambassadorial appointments.
Makinde remains Oyo State governor, while Ortom has continued to publicly support Tinubu.
Wike’s comments also come amid renewed political controversy over his Rainbow Coalition ahead of the 2027 elections.
The former Rivers governor has maintained that the coalition aims to mobilise support forTinubu’s re-election, while APC governors have expressed concerns about political arrangements that could undermine the party and its candidates.
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