A Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, stalwart in Enugu State, Mr. Emmanuel Jonathan has called on the G-5 Governors, also known as the Integrity Group, to come out openly to support the presidential aspiration of Peter Obi in the February 25, 2023, presidential election.

Jonathan, who made the call in a press statement he personally signed and shared to newsmen in Enugu, said that the leadership of the party appears to lack the constitutional and moral backing to punish any member of the party over alleged anti-party activities.

This, he said, was because the party leadership is also in breach of Section 7, sub section 3c (Aims and Objectives) of the constitution (as amended in 2017) which states that the party shall pursue its aims and objectives by adhering to the policy of the rotation and zoning of Party and Public elective offices in pursuance of the principle of equity, justice and fairness.

The Enugu PDP stalwart, who said that he is speaking as a concerned Nigerian and not in his official capacity as an aide to the Governor of Enugu State, maintained that if truly the G5 Governors and Senator Chimaroke Nnamani are fighting the injustice in the PDP, they should channel their support to Peter Obi of the Labour Party who is actually from the zone “whose turn it is to produce the occupant of Nigeria’s presidential seat.”

He said, “Anything short of supporting Peter Obi’s presidential ambition by the G5 Governors and Senator Chimaroke Nnamani is an act of personal interest and not a people-based interest which is not good for them as leaders.

“This is also because the Southwest and South-South have on different occasions produced the occupants of Nigeria’s presidential seat in the persons of General Olusegun Obasanjo and Dr. Goodluck Jonathan since the return of democracy in 1999.

“Deciding to support Senator Bola Tinubu by Sen. Nnamani is not in defence of justice but his personal interest. The G5 Governors and Senator Chimaroke Nnamani should read the body language of Nigerians to understand what the people want now, and the sentiment of the people across the country is to vote for someone with sound health and capacity to change Nigeria for the better bearing in mind the level of suffering in the country at the moment.

“What Nigerians want now is to vote for someone that will entrench good leadership, enhance peaceful cohesion, equity, justice and fairness? Peter Obi encompasses all these qualities.”

Jonathan, who noted that his view was anchored on the principle of equity, added that, “the NWC must act according to the dictates of the constitution of the party (2017 as amended) for it to be obeyed.

“Therefore, based on the dictates of section 7, sub section 3c of the PDP constitution 2017 as amended, it is obvious that the flag bearer of the party in the 2023 presidential election is supposed to come from the Southern part of Nigeria with special focus to the South East zone, considering the fact that a Northerner from North West is currently occupying the seat of the presidency.

“This is why I personally decided to back the presidential ambition of Mr. Peter Obi and his running mate, Sen. Yousuf Datti-Baba Ahmed of the Labour Party, despite being a PDP member, as a protest to the injustice meted against the Southeast zone and the non-adherence to the dictates of the PDP Constitution 2017 on rotation and zoning of Party and Public elective offices.

“To further strengthen my position, I wholeheartedly accepted my nomination to be the Director General of the Obi-Datti Apostles Presidential Campaign Support Group, whose objective among others is to preach the message of hope that the Obi-Datti presidency will bring to the table.”

The Governor’s aide further said that the recent suspension of the Senator representing Enugu East Senatorial District, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani and other PDP stalwarts, by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP, led by Senator Iyiorcha Ayu, over allegations of anti-party activities, would not stand because they (NWC) also violated the PDP constitution 2017 as amended by allowing a northerner to fly the Presidential flag of party.