Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state has described reports that the G5 governors have resolved to work for the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as false and mischievous.
The G5 governors is a group of PDP governors who have vowed to work against Atiku in next month presidential election. Apart from Ortom, other governors in the group are Nyesom Wike of Rivers, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu, Ikpeazu of Abia, and Seyi Makinde of Oyo State.
Recall also that Governor Ortom recently endorsed Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, a situation many suggested has forclosed reconciliation with the PDP candidate by the aggrieved governors.
Speaking on the suggestion that he has declared support for Atiku, in a statement by his media aide Terver Akase, Governor Ortom said some mischievous persons are trying to force the G5 governors to abandon their quest for justice in the PDP.
He described the report that the G5 governors met to declare support for Atiku, as false challenging those making the suggestion to name the place where the governors allegedly met.
The governor said he will however not force any presidential candidate on PDP members in the state, adding that the PDP leadership ignored his warning that the crisis could snowball into the election month in February.
According to the statement, “We read a fictitious online report which claimed that the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, and his colleagues in the G5 have resolved to work for the presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to win the 2023 election.
“The report is not only false but also mischievous as it is targeted at embarrassing the five governors who have chosen the path of justice, fairness, and equity. Manufacturers of the said report were apparently on a desperate mission to score a cheap political point.
“The report could not mention the place and date of the said meeting of G5 Governors. The writers only sought to take advantage of the crisis within the PDP for their selfish purposes. Governor Ortom and other members of the G5 have not endorsed the said presidential candidate.”
“When the Governor met with the expanded state caucus of PDP yesterday, January 9, 2023, at the Benue Peoples House, Makurdi, his message to them was crystal clear that the national leadership of PDP has failed to utilise its internal conflict resolution mechanism which has led to the crisis rocking the party.
“The Governor said during the meeting that if the crisis is not resolved before the elections, he would be left with no other option than to take a stand on the matter. He added, however, that he wouldn’t impose his decision on members of the party in the state.
“Stakeholders present at the meeting commended the Governor for his patriotic disposition and pledged to line up behind him. Those who spoke on behalf of zones A, B, and C, as well as for women and youths, all said Governor Ortom has shown the character of a dependable leader who puts the interest of his people first.
“The stakeholders pledged to find ways of resolving the internal crisis rocking the party while assuring the Governor that they would continue to stand with him through thick and thin. Governor Ortom did not address the press after the meeting. The online report is, therefore, fake and should be disregarded.”
Though Atiku said he has moved on without the angry governors, not a few have suggested that he’s unlikely to win the election without them.
