The governor of Benue state and chieftain in the People’s Democratic Party PDP, Samuel Ortom, has responded to the speculation that he and other governors were not present to support the PDP guber candidate of Osun state, because they are aggrieved over the party’s presidential candidacy.
In an interview by Arise News TV crew in their breakfast show, the Morning Show, on Thursday, which was closely monitored by Truthlive.net, Ortom stated that he did not evade the election but was away from the country to attend important appointments which were already scheduled, three months before the election.
He however added that they monitored the Osun election closely from their locations, he was duly represented in the state and he is very happy for “his brother, Ademola Adeleke on his victory at the election”.
On the issue of Governor Nyesom Wike and Atiku Abubakar, the party’s presidential candidate, Ortom noted that truly, Wike has been the only steadfast believer of the PDP and he deserved to be the chosen presidential candidate of the party.
However, when he was not chosen during the party’s primaries, he convinced Wike to accept the position of the running mate if he was chosen because he believes ‘half a loaf is better than none. Sadly, Atiku still did not make Wike his choice of Vice President, and that aggrieved himself, Wike, and others.
Ortom further stated that now that Wike was not given the positions, it is pertinent for the leaders of the party, including Atiku, to reach out immediately to Governor Wike to pacify him, so that things can work out better for the party. Ortom reiterated his undying support for Wike because he is a good man and had been offended by the PDP family. He noted that Atiku has reached out to him and will see Wike soon.
“Our presidential candidate has reached out to me to also further persuade Governor Wike that he is coming to see him and they will sit down to discuss.
Ortom noted that once that is done, that will be the end of it. ‘When Wike is pacified, I will be pacified and other of my colleagues will be pacified and millions of aggrieved Nigerians will also be pacified’.
Ortom further added that the APC has gone extinct because even if PDP was not in the presidential race, any lowlife party would have been capable of winning the elections because Nigerians are aware that APC put Nigeria into a siege and everyone is eager to come out of it.