Ortom won’t vote Atiku, and says ‘to hell with Atiku and anyone supporting him. They should go and tell him’
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Benue Governor Samuel Ortom has repeated his shot that he will not support Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar in his run for the Villa because of the unabated killing of Benue people by Fulani herdsmen.
Ortom restated his stand when he hosted his fellow PDP G5 Governors comprising Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) at Government House, Makurdi.
“To hell with Atiku and anyone supporting him. They should go and tell him. You want me to be a slave for a Fulani. It’s better I die. Anybody supporting Atiku is an enemy of Benue,” he said when he lamented the latest murder of 18 people in his council area.
“My people are being killed and you want me to be quiet. My tenure ends in May [2023] and you can do whatever you want if you think you have the power.
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‘I have written my will’
“I have written my will. When I gave it to my wife, she cried all night. If I die at 62, many of my mates have gone a long time ago and If I die today, I’m a fulfilled person, but let it be recorded that I died resisting the invasion and killing of my people,” Ortom added, per The Nation.
“I will never support a Fulani man to become President. If there is another person who is ready to work with me and ensure the security of my people, I will work with him.”
Ortom first declared his opposition to Atiku publicly in Makurdi last month, saying the state will not vote for him unless there is a significant change of events on the ground.
He said 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.