By Luminous Jannamike, ABUJA
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused former Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom of acting out of personal interest rather than genuine concern for fairness and equity in the 2023 elections.
Ortom had told Arise TV on Thursday that he and other G5 governors opposed Atiku Abubakar’s presidential candidacy because the PDP failed to respect power rotation by presenting another Northern candidate after eight years of Muhammadu Buhari’s rule.
But a senior member of the party’s National Working Committee, who spoke to Vanguard, 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. He also claimed Ortom personally supported Ayu’s rise to the chairmanship position.
“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,” the official said.
He also questioned whether Ortom would now support the PDP in 2027, following his public endorsement of President Bola Tinubu for a second term.
“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?” the PDP official asked.
The party also accused Ortom of engaging in anti-party behaviour and lacking commitment to the party’s collective goals.
“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 own party,” the PDP chieftain added.
The PDP urged Ortom and others to put aside personal ambitions and support the party’s rebuilding efforts ahead of the next general elections.
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