Former Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has revealed the reasons behind his opposition to the Peoples Democratic Party and its presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar during the 2023 elections, citing the party’s failure to uphold principles of equity and fairness.
Speaking during an interview on Arise TV on July 17, Ortom, who was a prominent member of the G5 Governors’ Forum, explained that the group had expected the presidency to rotate to the South after eight years of northern leadership under President Muhammadu Buhari. However, the PDP’s decision to field Atiku, another northerner, contradicted this expectation.
“I acted as I did because we had expected the PDP to uphold equity, fairness, and justice, values I hold dear,” Ortom stated. “When the majority of PDP members supported a Northern candidate, we deemed it unjust. We’ve always stood for equity, fairness, and justice, and we felt the presidency should alternate between the North and South for eight years each.”
The former governor, who served as chairman of the PDP’s zoning committee, disclosed that while the committee recommended an open contest, he personally advocated for a Southern candidate. He noted that the party’s National Executive Committee ultimately made the final decision that led to Atiku’s candidacy.
“I presented the committee’s report as it was, and the NEC made the final call. I couldn’t override the collective decision,” Ortom explained, acknowledging his limited influence over the party’s ultimate choice.
Addressing the role of Nyesom Wike, who is now serving as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Ortom revealed that the G5 governors had actively campaigned for Wike to become the PDP’s presidential candidate. When that effort failed, they pushed for him to be selected as the running mate.
“We fought for Wike to be the PDP’s presidential candidate, but unfortunately, he didn’t secure the nomination. We also believed he should have been the running mate,” Ortom said. He disclosed that as a member of the 20-person committee responsible for selecting a running mate, 16 members supported Wike’s candidacy. However, the presidential candidate and party leadership ultimately decided against this recommendation.
The G5 Governors’ Forum, which included Ortom alongside governors from Rivers, Oyo, Enugu, and Abia states, became a significant opposition force within the PDP during the 2023 election cycle. Their resistance to the party’s presidential ticket was rooted in their belief that the PDP had abandoned its commitment to rotational presidency and internal democracy.
Ortom’s revelations provide insight into the internal dynamics that led to the fracturing of the PDP during the crucial 2023 presidential election, highlighting how issues of regional balance and party governance contributed to the opposition movement within Nigeria’s main opposition party.
