Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has stated that he has not been directed by God to endorse People’s Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar in the 2023 elections.
Ortom made this declaration during a Wednesday interview with Arise Tv.
“I am praying. I have gone into hibernation. I am fasting and praying. So in the end, if God directs me that I should support Atiku, why should I not do it? After all, he’s my party member,” Ortom explained.
Ortom went on to say that he anticipated Atiku to pick Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike as his running mate instead of Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa.
Wike ran for and lost the PDP presidential nomination to Atiku. While Atiku received 371 votes, Governor Nyesom Wike received 237 votes and Bukola Saraki, the former Senate President, came in third place with 70 votes. The total number of votes cast was 767.
Following that, Okowa, Wike, and Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel were proposed by the PDP national working committee (NWC) to Atiku for a running mate. Report has it that NWC members voted 13-3 to support the findings of the stakeholders’ group, which had previously chosen Wike as Atiku’s running partner. Okowa received only three votes.
However, it was Atiku’s ultimate decision to choose Okowa as the party’s vice-presidential candidate.
Ortom mentioned that he was not in support of dumping Wike for Okowa in choosing Atiku’s running mate.
“The man he denied the popular view of the PDP members — 14 out of 17 — who said Wike should be the vice-presidential candidate. I expect more explanation,” Ortom voiced.
“I expect him to talk to Wike — whom we are supporting — first. I expect him to reach out to some of us so that together we can work as a party.”
