Former Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has given a detailed an explanation of why he and other G5 Governors’ Forum members voted against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in the 2023 elections.
The former vice president, however, retaliated by calling them disgruntled opportunists who are looking for significance.
In a similar vein, the PDP charged that Ortom’s actions during the 2023 elections were motivated more by personal gain than by a sincere desire to ensure equity and justice.
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This comes as Mr. Dele Momodu, a previous presidential candidate, officially resigned from the PDP, claiming that antidemocratic forces had taken over the party.
Ortom, a prominent member of the G5 group of PDP governors, stated that they decided to oppose the party because it did not uphold justice, equity, and fairness.
Speaking on Arise TV yesterday, Ortom stated that the PDP’s choice to nominate Atiku, who is also from the North, went against the G5’s insistence that the presidency should move to the South following eight years of Northern hegemony under President Muhammadu Buhari.
“I acted as I did because we had expected the PDP to uphold equity, fairness, and justice, values I hold dear.
“When the majority of PDP members supported a Northern candidate, we deemed it unjust. We’ve always stood for equity, fairness, and justice, and we felt the presidency should alternate between the North and South for eight years each,” he said.
In his capacity as the PDP’s zoning committee chairman, Ortom pointed out that he personally advocated for a Southern candidate even though the committee suggested an open contest.
He stressed that the party’s National Executive Committee, NEC, had the final say, which led to Atiku’s candidacy.
“I presented the committee’s report as it was, and the NEC made the final call. I couldn’t override the collective decision,” Ortom explained.
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On the role of Nyesom Wike, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, in the crisis, Ortom said, “We fought for Wike to be the PDP’s presidential candidate, but unfortunately, he didn’t secure the nomination. We also believed he should have been the running mate. I was part of the 20-member committee tasked with selecting a running mate, and 16 of us supported Wike. However, the candidate and the party leadership decided otherwise.”
Ortom further defended supporting opposition candidates in 2023, stating that politics was based on interests. “Politics revolves around interests. There’s no permanent enemy or friend in politics. It’s about protecting the interests of your community, your people, and yourself,” he stated.
He also responded to claims that by endorsing opposition candidates, he and Wike attempted to “destroy” the PDP. Ortom contrasted their approach with that of other PDP members who supported Bola Tinubu of the APC or Peter Obi of the Labour Party.
“Peter Obi wasn’t in the PDP, but we agreed on a strategic partnership to demonstrate our influence. Some of us supported Peter Obi, others supported Tinubu, and we ended up with the current government. If God has given us President Bola Tinubu, why shouldn’t we support him?” Ortom added.
The former Benue state governor emphasised the significance of adhering to power rotation and reiterated his support for a Southern presidential candidate in the run-up to the 2027 elections.
“My position is clear. I will support a Southern candidate. I see no reason to support a Northern candidate in 2027. By 2031, if someone from the South expresses interest in the presidency, I will still advocate for it to shift to the North. That’s based on my belief in equity and fairness.”
Ortom reacting to backlash over alleged bias in Benue State politics, where he is accused of favouring the Tiv ethnic group, said: “I’ve fought for fairness and have advised other ethnic groups on what they need to do. I agree it’s unfair for one group to dominate the governorship since the creation of Benue State. However, politics also involves the majority. The Tiv people occupy Zones A and B, while the Idoma and Igede are in Zone C. It’s a matter of political dynamics, and I’ve encouraged other groups to organise and assert themselves.”
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On the issue of crisis in the PDP, he said: “As politicians, we understand that politics revolves around interests. There’s no permanent enemy or friend in politics. It’s about protecting the interests of your community, your people, and yourself.”
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