I worked against PDP in 2023 because of Atiku —Ex-Governor Ortom

Former Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, has defended his decision to oppose the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the 2023 general elections, citing the party’s alleged failure to uphold principles of equity, fairness, and justice.

According to him, the plan was to have a southern candidate emerge as president, but the party betrayed that aspiration.

Speaking during an interview with Arise News on Thursday, Ortom, who remains a member of the PDP, said he could not in good conscience support the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar. He attributed his stance to what he described as internal betrayal and a disregard for the consensus process.

“I went against the PDP in the last election simply because I believed the party would stand for equity, fairness, and justice, principles they unfortunately did not uphold,” Ortom stated.

The former governor disclosed that he was part of a 20-member committee set up by the PDP to recommend a suitable running mate for the presidential candidate. According to him, 16 members of the committee, including himself, voted in favour of the then Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike. However, the recommendation was ultimately disregarded.

“Somehow, the candidate and those in leadership positions within the party decided to work against him,” he said, referring to Wike.

Ortom, a leading member of the G5 Governors, a group of five influential PDP governors who opposed Atiku’s candidacy, reiterated that their pushback was rooted in the demand for power rotation to southern Nigeria.

“While the G5 agenda was also about interests, our original goal was to have a southern candidate, and I’m glad that a southern candidate ultimately emerged as President,” he added.

His remarks come amid ongoing internal deliberations within the PDP on restructuring and the party’s future direction following its defeat in the 2023 presidential election. The G5, comprising governors from Benue, Rivers, Oyo, Abia, and Enugu states at the time, had publicly distanced themselves from the PDP presidential campaign, citing similar concerns.

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