Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has revealed that he will be supporting Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), only if God directs him.
The governor said he is “fasting and praying” for divine guidance before deciding to support Atiku’s bid in the 2023 elections.
The governor spoke in a chat with Arise TV on Wednesday.
In May, Atiku had fended off a close challenge from Nyesom Wike, Governor of Rivers, to clinch the PDP presidential ticket.
Atiku then named Ifeanyi Okowa, Governor of Delta, as his running mate despite the party’s national working committee (NWC) endorsing Wike for the role.
The decision has since created a fissure amongst all individuals involved and their supporters.
Speaking on the development, Ortom praised Wike as “somebody who stood for the party and made sure that things worked”, adding that “some of us believed in him” as the party’s best choice for the vice-presidential candidate.
He added that he will be supporting Atiku’s presidential bid only if God directs him.
“All of us have our weapon; Wike can be ‘something something’ but when it comes to mobilisation, impact, value addition and reaching out to make sure that the party works the man is an instrument.
“He’s somebody who stood for the party and made sure that things worked. Some of us believed in him, but unfortunately, it was somebody else. But the party is supreme,” he said.
“However, some of us have resorted to prayers. I have been in hibernation. We’ve resorted to prayer: ‘Lord God, where do we go from here.’ I believe as a Christian that power belongs to God. The Bible says a man can receive nothing except it is given to him from above.
“I am praying. I have gone into hibernation. I am fasting and praying. So in the end, if God directs me that I should support Atiku, why should I not do it? After all, he’s my party member. But I am waiting for him to do more.
“I expect him to reach out to Wike, who came second in the presidential primary. The man he denied the popular view of the PDP members — 14 out of 17 — who said Wike should be the vice-presidential candidate. I expect more explanation.
“I expect him to talk to Wike — whom we are supporting — first. I expect him to reach out to some of us so that together we can work as a party.”
Meanwhile, a few hours after Governor Ortom spoke on Arise Tv, another loyalist of Governor Wike, the former governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose insisted that the southern must produce the next president.
In a tweet posted on Wednesday, Fayose said it is the turn of the southern region to produce a president.
Fayose, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) revealed that the ongoing president, Muhammadu Buhari is from the North and spent 8 years in office and implying that it must be a Southern Presidency in 2023 or nothing.
Fayose cited the PDP constitution which provides for a rotational Presidency.
Atiku Abubakar, a 2023 presidential candidate of PDP and hailed from the northern part of the country.
The former Ekiti governor was one of the presidential aspirants who contested against Atiku in the primary of the PDP.
Writing in the Yoruba language, Fayose tweeted that “awa south lo kan” — which means “it is the turn of the south”. The remark is a reference to the catchphrase attributed to Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Fayose said “The PDP Constitution provides for a rotational Presidency. Section 3(c) provides that the Party shall pursue its aims & objectives by “adhering to the policy of the rotation & zoning of Party & Public elective offices in pursuance of the principle of equity, justice and fairness.”
“The current President of Nigeria is a 2-term Northern Presidency, thus implying that it MUST be a Southern Presidency in 2023 or NOTHING. Awa ‘South’ lo kan’.
“Nigerians should await details soon.”
