Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has revealed that he is ready to forefeit his senatorial ambition for the Labour Party LP presidential candidate, Peter Obi to win in the forthcoming February 25 election.
Recall that in May last year after the People’s Democratic Party PDP primary election that produced Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential candidates, Governor of Rivers state, Nyesom Wike, Ortom, and three other governors formed a coalition which kicked against producing another Northern president after President Muhammadu Buhari who is from North West Nigeria.
The coalition is called the G-5 governors which comprises Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State,Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Samuel Ortom of Benue State and Nyesom Wike of Rivers State.
Governor Ortom, though a member of PDP recently disclosed his support for Peter Obi as president, after the G-5 governors could not seal a deal with the PDP presidential candidate and the party’s National chairman, Iyiorcha Ayu, who they also opposed and asked to step down for a Southerner in order to achieve “regional balance” in the party.
In a video done by Channels TV which was seen by Truth Live News, Ortom who is now vying for a senatorial seat in his state said, on Monday February 20, while addressing the Igbo community in Benue State, that he is ready to sacrifice his ambition for Obi to become president.
“For me, it’s not even that I’m contesting an election. Yes, the form was bought for me by the people of Benue State. I’ve gone round; they have accepted that they will vote (for) me.
“But if I’m to sacrifice my senatorial ambition for Peter Obi to win, so shall it be.
“Mr Obi is a species that is not bound by ethnicity.”
The Benue governor further stated that it is an opportunity created by God for Nigerians and they must not miss it this time.
“Let us not miss this opportunity that God himself is providing. The youth have told me, my own people have told me – stakeholders here, traditional rulers, party people across party lines. Obi’s matter is not about APC or PDP or SDP or any other party. It’s about Nigeria.
“That is why when I hear some prominent Igbo personalities castigating Peter Obi for contesting the election – is it you people that have been saying you have been marginalised since after the war?”
“The opportunity has come today and you’re still complaining. What do you want?! What are you looking for?
“The whole country – North, South, East, and West – are saying Peter Obi, and you hear some people say, ‘We don’t want it.’ Haba! Those people should be outcasts.”
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