By Dapo Akinrefon, Luminous Jannamike & Juliet Umeh
ABUJA — FORMER Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, yesterday, explained why he and other members of the G5 Governors’ Forum opposed the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in the 2023 elections.
But in a push back, the former Vice President, described them as frustrated opportunists, who are searching for relevance.
Also, the PDP similarly, accused Ortom of acting out of personal interest rather than genuine concern for fairness and equity in the 2023 elections.
This came as a former Presidential aspirant, Mr Dele Momodu formally resigned from the PDP, citing what he described as the hijacking of the party by antidemocratic forces.
Ortom, a leading member of the G5 group of PDP governors, said the party’s failure to respect equity, fairness, and justice was the reason they chose to stand against it.
Speaking on Arise TV, yesterday, Ortom said the G5 had insisted that the presidency should shift to the South after eight years of Northern rule under President Muhammadu Buhari, but the PDP’s decision to field Atiku, also a Northerner, went against that principle.
“I acted as I did because we had expected the PDP to uphold equity, fairness, and justice, values I hold dear.
“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,” he said.
As chairman of the PDP’s zoning committee, Ortom noted that although the committee recommended an open contest, he personally pushed for a Southern candidate.
He stressed that the party’s National Executive Committee, NEC, had the final say, which 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.
On the role of Nyesom Wike, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, in the crisis, Ortom revealed, “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. I was part of the 20-member committee tasked with selecting a running mate, and 16 of us supported Wike. However, the candidate and the party leadership decided otherwise.”
Ortom defended supporting opposition candidates in 2023, saying politics was based on interests. “Politics revolves around interests. There’s no permanent enemy or friend in politics. It’s about protecting the interests of your community, your people, and yourself,” he stated.
He also addressed criticism that he and Wike tried to “destroy” the PDP by supporting opposition candidates. Ortom compared their strategy to that of other PDP members who backed Peter Obi of the Labour Party or Bola Tinubu of the APC.
“Peter Obi wasn’t in the PDP, but we agreed on a strategic partnership to demonstrate our influence. Some of us supported Peter Obi, others supported Tinubu, and we ended up with the current government. If God has given us President Bola Tinubu, why shouldn’t we support him?” Ortom added.
Looking to the 2027 elections, Ortom reaffirmed his support for a Southern presidential candidate and stressed the importance of respecting power rotation.
“My position is clear. I will support a Southern candidate. I see no reason to support a Northern candidate in 2027. By 2031, if someone from the South expresses interest in the presidency, I will still advocate for it to shift to the North. That’s based on my belief in equity and fairness.”
Ortom on criticism over alleged bias in Benue State politics, where he is accused of favouring the Tiv ethnic group, said: “I’ve fought for fairness and have advised other ethnic groups on what they need to do. I agree it’s unfair for one group to dominate the governorship since the creation of Benue State. However, politics also involves the majority. The Tiv people occupy Zones A and B, while the Idoma and Igede are in Zone C. It’s a matter of political dynamics, and I’ve encouraged other groups to organise and assert themselves.”
On crisis in the PDP, he said: “As politicians, we understand that politics revolves around interests. There’s no permanent enemy or friend in politics. It’s about protecting the interests of your community, your people, and yourself.”
Ortom, others opportunists—Atiku
Reacting to Ortom’s claims, the former Vice President said there was nothing noble about the G5’s rebellion.
Atiku, who spoke through his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Mr. Phrank Shaibu said the Benue governor was trying to play the ostrich.
He said: “Let us be clear: there was nothing noble about the G5’s rebellion. It was not a stand for justice—it was a gamble rooted in personal ambition, ego, and frustration over political miscalculations. The PDP’s zoning committee, which Ortom himself chaired, recommended an open contest. That decision—adopted by NEC—was not imposed by Atiku Abubakar or any Northern bloc. It was a democratic resolution, endorsed by the party’s highest decision-making body. To now feign surprise or outrage over a process one midwifed is to play the ostrich.
“Furthermore, the notion that Atiku Abubakar was the continuation of ‘northern rule’ ignores the critical reality that Atiku is, first and foremost, a democrat—a bridge between regions, religions, and ideologies. His ambition has never been based on geography.
“As for Ortom’s newfound allegiance to a ‘Southern Presidency,’ the question must be asked: which South? In one breath, he endorsed Peter Obi of the Labour Party, and in the next, stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Nyesom Wike, who threw his weight behind Bola Tinubu of the APC. This ideological hopscotch betrays not a devotion to justice, but an opportunistic drift in search of relevance.”
Their motives were self-serving— PDP
Similarly, the PDP tackled Ortom, accusing him and his group of acting out of personal interest rather than genuine concern for fairness and equity in the 2023 elections.
A member of PDP National Working Committee, NWC, who spoke to Vanguard in confidence, questioned Ortom’s motives and role in forming the G5 group, suggesting his opposition may have been more political than principled.
The party leader noted that Ortom and the then PDP National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, are from the same local government area and ethnic group.
The NWC member said: “If Ortom is talking about fairness, he should remember that both he and Ayu come from the same place. He was the one who recommended Ayu for the chairmanship. There was no disagreement until Atiku emerged as the party’s candidate.
“Now that the PDP is planning to zone the presidential ticket to the South in 2027, will Ortom support the party? Will he go back on his endorsement of Tinubu and work for the PDP?
“Politics is about teamwork. One person’s opinion should not override the decisions of the majority. If you want to play solo, then start your party.”
The PDP urged Ortom and others to put aside personal ambitions and support the party’s rebuilding efforts ahead of the next general elections.
Momodu dumps PDP, joins ADC
Meanwhile, a former PDP leader, Mr Momodu, in a letter dated July 17, 2025, and addressed to the PDP Ward 4 Chairman in Ihievbe, Owan East Local Government Area of Edo State, said his decision to leave the party was taken with immediate effect.
The letter reads: “My reason is simple and straightforward. Our party has been unarguably hijacked by anti-democratic forces, from within and outside, in broad daylight. It is, therefore, honourable to abandon the carcass of the party to them while the majority of us earnestly sign up with the new coalition party known as the ADC.”
Momodu, a former presidential aspirant on the PDP platform and publisher of Ovation International, expressed gratitude to the party leadership at the ward level for their consistent support over the years.
Momodu joined the PDP in 2021, and had actively participated in national debates and party activities. His exit follows a wave of resignations by prominent figures disillusioned with internal party dynamics.
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