Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State is reported to have told his inner circle to start campaigning for Peter Obi of the Labour Party, as against his Party’s Presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar of the PDP.
This is not coming as a surprise but rather coming too late for him, at a time when Atiku has taken over the Nigerian votes while Ortom’s Gubernatorial candidate in the Benue election is facing a very stiff battle the “Yes Father” movement of the APC, for Father Alia is blowing with rage.
Father Hyacinth Iormem Alia is a catholic priest with large organic follower-ship running for Governorship under the APC in Benue State, Ortom knows that, while Herman Hembe of the Labour Party is trailing Father Alia in popularity then followed by PDP’s Titus Uba. Ortom telling his close allies to work for Peter Obi is like stabbing himself with a knife and ending his own political career in an inglorious way.
Ortom seems to be carried away by the allure of power, else he is in a better position to know that the Presidential election of Atiku Abubakar will hold same day with that of himself as a Senatorial candidate. Endorsing Peter Obi will not only jeopardise his own senatorial election but could trigger Atiku’s in other parties and PDP’s supporters in his state to also work against his Gubernatorial candidate in the forth-night election after Atiku’s.
How will Governor Ortom, who rose from a bus conductor (He said it himself) to a party National Executive, to a Federal Minister (Holding two Ministries at some point) under PDP, contested and lost the PDP Gubernatorial primaries moved to APC, got Ticket and won due to the Buhari factor (Buhari a Muslim), denied APC ticket in 2019 due to high handedness, jumped back to PDP, got the Ticket and won because of the Atiku Factor (Atiku a Muslim) now working to sabotage Atiku because of Ortom’s hate for Atiku being a Muslim and a Fulani from the North? Ortom couldn’t hide his hatred for Fulani or Atiku, in one of his speech where he said “..To hell with Fulani.. to hell with Atiku..” angrily!
What is Atiku’s offence? He won the PDP Presidential primaries which Governor Ortom himself and his new friends in G5 forced Open for all Nigerians.
Governor Samuel Ortom was the Chairman of the Committee that recommended the Presidential ticket of the PDP be left open for all to contest, as against Zoning. Else, Atiku has said at several events that if the PDP zones the Presidential ticket to the Southeast he will not run. That didn’t happen.
The G5 won’t have that because they thought Governor Nyesom Wike from the SouthSouth was advantaged to win the ticket because of the quantum of state resources he has amassed for the contest. Nigerians and PDP members proved them wrong.
Governor Ortom and his friends called G5 are plying a dangerous and fast route out of politics, even after the People of Oyo gave them a verdict at the flag-off of Seyi Makinde’s second term campaign.
Now look at this scenario critically, if Ortom, Wike and co chooses to carry out anti-party and the PDP suspends or expels them, even if they win the elections, the opposition APC will claim those positions in a court of law, because as at the time of election they were either suspended or expelled from the PDP, the decision of court of Appeal on Senator Elisha Abbo yesterday suffices. You cannot enjoy the privileges of a party while you are not a member, the court of appeal ruled. Only a party can sponsor a candidate for election 1999 Constitution is explicit on that.
Secondly for Ortom, Wike, Makinde and others, what if the PDP faithfuls in your states decide to pay them back what they are doing to Atiku by working against their own anointed candidates like they (G5) are working against Atiku? Just imagine father Alia having endorsements from PDP followers in Benue? Or Tonye Cole having endorsement by PDP faithfuls in Rivers? Or in Seyi Makinde’s Oyo, Would they survive such a tsunami? Wasn’t it just a picture of Senator Lee Maeba with Tonye Cole hugging that Wike the arrow head of G5 saw that got Wike mad and started blowing hot? As E they sweet you….you no know say E dey Pain?
G5 of which Governor Ortom is a member claims they are fighting for Justice, meanwhile Ortom has refused to be just in his own home, his tribe of TIV has ruled the state since 1999 to date, and even his anointed PDP candidate for 2023 is a TIV man like him, why didn’t Governor Ortom a justice and equity activist find one patriotic Idoma man to field?
How does Governor Ortom thinks he can “instruct” Senator David Mark, Senator Gabriel Suswan, Mr. Abba Moro, Senator Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, PDP national Chairman not to work for Atiku Abubakar of the PDP? He must be joking!
Governor Ortom seems to have seen that the game is up for his G5 contraption and they can’t do more than what they have done so far with Zero impact on Atiku’s campaign so he is playing his last card.
G5 members can retire in peace if they so desire, else the Atiku hands are open wide to receive them back. But if they must retire, I bet this is how not to retire from a glorious career of donkey years.
@Sai Baba.
