GOVERNOR Samuel Ortom of Benue State has hinted that he may decide to back former Anambra State governor Peter Obi in next year's presidential elections pointing out that he cannot publicly support him now because they are in different parties.
In February next year, Nigeria goes to the polls and there are currently four frontrunners seeking the job of presidency including Asiwaju Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi of the Labour Party and Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party.
Governor Ortom was originally elected as an APC governor in 2015 but in 2018 he switched to the APC and in 2019 was re-elected on tat platform.
Now Governor Ortom is a member of the PDP's G5 group of governors who are opposed to the candidacy of Alhaji Abubakar and who would rather Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State was the party's presidential candidate. They shunned the PDP presidential campaign launch and Governor Wike is rumoured to be considering joining the APC and supporting its presidential candidate Asiwaju Tinubu.
Yesterday, Governor Ortom net with Peter Obi, the former Anambra State governor and Labour Party presidential candidate Obi at his private residence in Abuja, where he said he admired his former colleague. At the meeting, Governor Ortom said he would have worked for the success of Governor Obi if he were not to be a member of the PDP.
Governor Ortom said: “I’m in PDP and I am working for PDP but I tell you if I were not in PDP, you will see me working for Peter Obi but I am in PDP. Let’s see how things work our but the truth is that the bible says a man can receive nothing except it is given it to him.”
He added that Governor Obi may not have the wherewithal but if God decides no one can stop it and urged Nigerians to elect the best among the candidates without any sentiments. He also urged Governor Peter Obi, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to meet and agree on one of them.