The Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, has declared his unwavering support for the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi.
This was as he said he is ready to sacrifice his senatorial ambition in the February 25 polls, if it will ensure the victory of Obi.
Ortom, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, is contesting the election in the Benue North-West senatorial district.
He is also an active member of the aggrieved G-5 governors under the PDP, antagonizing the leadership of the party for zoning both the position of the party’s presidential flag-bearer and national chairman to the North, instead of the South.
Thus far, the Integrity Group have not openly declared support for any candidate, other than an absolute lack of support for its party’s candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
However, Ortom’s endorsement of Obi seems contrary to the recent statements of the leader of the G-5 group, the governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, who has hailed the candidate of the All Progressive Congress, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as having the capacity to lead the country.
The Benue governor declared his support for the former Anambra state governor while addressing members of the Igbo community in the state on Monday, according to Channels TV.
He said, “For me, it’s not even that I’m contesting an election. Yes, the form was bought for me by the people of Benue State. I’ve gone round; they have accepted that they will vote [for] me.
“But if I’m to sacrifice my senatorial ambition for Peter Obi to win, so shall it be.
“I know that if [any group of] people are connected in this world, they are the Igbo. This is the opportunity you have to say that an Igbo man from the South-East is president.
“So, let us not miss this opportunity that God himself is providing. The youth have told me, my own people have told me – stakeholders here, traditional rulers, party people across party lines. Obi’s matter is not about APC or PDP or SDP or any other party. It’s about Nigeria.
“That is why when I hear some prominent Igbo personalities castigating Peter Obi for contesting the election – is it not you people that have been saying you have been marginalised since after the war?
“The opportunity has come today and you’re still complaining. What do you want?! What are you looking for?
“The whole country – North, South, East, and West – are saying Peter Obi, and you hear some people say, ‘We don’t want it.’ Haba! Those people should be outcasts.”
