Ortom declares Benue won’t vote Atiku, those with him ‘are not with my consent’
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Benue Governor Samuel Ortom has declared that the state will not vote for Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party Abubakar Atiku presidential candidate, unless there is a significant change of events on the ground.
Ortom disclosed in Makurdi he has no input in the selection of Benue members of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) to warrant the support of himself and his loyalists.
“I am not in his campaign team. All the people there are not with my consent. But I am waiting, when the election comes, we shall hold the election according to the election,” he stressed.
Ortom is among the G5 comprising Governors Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), who have vowed not to support Atiku until PDP National Chairman Iyorchia Ayu resigns.
Wike announced on Monday he will not vote for Atiku.
Other PDP grandees who are not Governors are also part of the group insisting on the resignation of Ayu to give room for a Southerner to take his post and balance the power structure in the party currently dominated by Northerners.
They have been strident in their demand since Atiku muscled his way in May to get the PDP presidential ticket, which rightly belongs to the South in this election cycle, as stated in the constitution of the party.
Ortom in his latest salvo in Makurdi on Tuesday also faulted Atiku’s statement in his condolence message over the killing of 36 people in Gbeji on 12 October. describing it as inciting.
Atiku had said “when our people are well integrated into communities where they live, work, pay taxes and raise their children, they’d be obligated to reciprocate the love and acceptance.
“My deepest condolences to the families that may have lost a loved one and to the people and government of Benue State.”
Ortom picked out the word “integrated” as meaning disrespect for him and Benue.
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Ortom says Atiku working with Miyeitti Allah
Ortom also reacted to Atiku’s statement at a forum organised by Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) in Kaduna that he is angry with Ortom for categorising Fulani people as bandits and terrorists, per The PUNCH.
He said the statement shows Atiku is working with Miyeitti Allah because “that is the same thing Miyetti Allah was saying about me. I never profiled Fulani. I only qualify each time I called Fulanis.
“These are Fulanis from Niger Mali, Senegal, Mauritania, Libya from Chad who have come together and said they would take over our country and make it their abode.
“It was not correct for a presidential candidate who is seeking to rule the people to say that kind of thing.
“It was very wrong. And it would appear that he doesn’t even reference me and consider me to be a Governor of my state.”
Ortom yearns for Obi’s victory, says if God decides to make him Nigeria’s President, no one can stop it
Ortom had announced last week that would have worked for Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) if he were not a member of the PDP.
“I’m in PDP and I am working for PDP but I tell you if I were not in PDP, you will see me working for Peter Obi. Let’s see how things work out but the truth is that the Bible says a man can receive nothing except it is given to him,” he said.
Ortom bared his mind when he hosted Obi at his private residence in Abuja.
He said Obi may not be a moneybag or bullion van politician but if God decides to make him Nigeria’s President no one can stop it
He acknowledged Obi, Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Abubakar Atiku of the PDP are the three front runners in the presidential race, and urged Nigerians to elect the best of them without sentiments.