Judul : 2023 election: Why G5 worked against Atiku, PDP —Ortom
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2023 election: Why G5 worked against Atiku, PDP —Ortom
Former Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has shed light on the reasons behind the decision of the G5 governors to oppose Atiku Abubakar’s presidential bid and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general election.
Ortom, a key member of the G5 group, also known as the Integrity Group, revealed why the G5 worked against Atiku and the PDP during an interview on Arise Television on Thursday.
The G5, made up of five PDP governors at the time, Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), and Seyi Makinde (Oyo), had openly rebelled against the leadership of the PDP in the run-up to the election.
They insisted on fairness, equity, and justice, especially concerning power rotation and party leadership.
Ortom stated that the G5 decision to work against Atiku was driven by a sense of betrayal within the PDP after the party failed to honour its zoning agreement.
According to him, the PDP had promised to zone the presidency to the South, but the emergence of Atiku Abubakar, a northerner, as the party’s flagbearer was seen as a breach of trust.
He said the G5 believed that the party leadership ignored the sentiments of Nigerians who were yearning for power to shift to the South after President Muhammadu Buhari, a northerner, completed his eight-year tenure. This, he said, created widespread discontent among southern members of the party.
Wike, who contested in the presidential primary, lost to Abubakar.
Ortom claimed that the PDP failed to uphold fairness and equity by not unanimously backing a southern candidate.
“We had thought the PDP would uphold equity, fairness, and justice. But unfortunately, they did not.
“I couldn’t understand how, after eight years of a northern presidency, the party would support another northern candidate,” he said.
Ortom withdrew support for Abubakar in the election and backed Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP).
“For us in the G5, it was about equity. We believed the presidency should go to the South. That was why I worked against the PDP in 2023.
“Even if I lost my senatorial election after serving eight years as governor, it didn’t matter. I wanted it to be known that there are still people who believe in justice, equity, and fairness.
“Politics is selfish. When your interests are not protected, you look elsewhere. Yes, Wike is my friend, we worked together, and he remains my friend,” Ortom said.
Ortom said that although he chaired the PDP panel, which recommended throwing the presidential ticket open instead of zoning it to the south, he could not override the collective will of the committee members.
He added that the final decision rested with the party’s national executive committee (NEC).
“I was chairman of the zoning committee, but I couldn’t override what the majority wanted. I simply reported the committee’s position to the NEC, and they chose to throw the ticket open,” he said.
Ortom said he is committed to supporting a southern presidential candidate in 2027 to ensure the zone completes eight years.
He said that if the PDP fields a presidential candidate from the north, he may back a candidate from another party, saying Atiku and the PDP leadership didn’t provide an inclusive environment for members who supported Wike.
“That’s why we went different ways. Wike supported Tinubu, and I supported Peter Obi. Others chose their own path. That’s how we ended up with the current government,” Ortom said.
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