Former Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, has revealed that his decision to work against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the 2023 general elections stemmed from the party’s failure to uphold principles of equity, fairness, and justice.
Speaking in an interview with Arise TV on Thursday, Ortom explained that although he remained a member of the PDP, he could not support its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, due to what he described as internal betrayal and disregard for consensus.
“I went against the PDP in the last election simply because I believed the party would stand for equity, fairness, and justice — principles they unfortunately did not uphold,” Ortom said.
He recalled being part of a 20-man committee tasked with recommending a suitable running mate for Atiku. According to him, 16 members of the committee, including himself, voted in favour of Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, but the recommendation was ignored.
“Somehow, the candidate and those in leadership positions within the party decided to work against him,” Ortom stated.
The former governor, a prominent member of the G5 Governors — a group of five PDP governors who opposed Atiku’s candidacy — said their agitation was largely driven by the need for a power shift to southern Nigeria.
“While the G5 agenda was also about interests, our original goal was to have a southern candidate, and I’m glad that a southern candidate ultimately emerged as President,” he said.
Ortom’s comments come amid renewed debates within the PDP over internal restructuring and the future of its leadership, following its loss in the 2023 presidential election.
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