Gov Ortom unveils Peter Obi as preferred presidential candidate

The governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, has urged Nigerians to vote Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate for the 25 February election.

Mr Ortom, who is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is serving out his second term as governor, but he is vying for the Benue North-west Senatorial District seat.

The governor’s open declaration of support for Mr Obi’s presidential bid on Thursday, comes a few hours after a Makurdi High Court restrained the PDP from either suspending or expelling him from the party.

Mr Ortom belongs to a five-member group of PDP governors known as G-5 aggrieved with the national leadership of the party.

The governors led by Nyesom Wike of Rivers State are asking the PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, to resign since the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, is also northerner.

My Ayu hails from the same senatorial district as Mr Ortom.

The declaration

Mr Ortom, while addressing a town hall meeting in Makurdi on Thursday, based his choice of Mr Obi on the need to reset Nigeria’s journey on the path of peace, equity and justice.

He said the LP standard-bearer was better prepared for the mental and physical rigours that are required to drive Nigeria on the path of progress.

“…this is not about party, I am not in Labour Party but I am working for Peter Obi. Peter Obi will make sure that we sleep with our two eyes closed. These unnecessary killings that are going on in our country will stop,” Mr Ortom said amid thunderous the ovation from attendees drawn from the 276 council wards of Benue.

“Of the three presidential candidates, Peter Obi has the character, competence to lead Nigeria,” he added, urging the electorate not to vote for political parties but individual candidates who can deliver on their promises.

The governor lamented that political parties had let Nigerians down and it was high time they chose “individuals, those people who can deliver.”

“We must, in this 2023, fashion a new Nigeria, Nigeria that will give the people equity, fairness, and justice.

“The PDP has failed Nigerians, APC has failed Nigerians, political parties have failed Nigerians, even Labour Party has failed Nigerians,” he decried.

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The LP presidential candidate, who was billed to attend the unveiling event, could not make it to Makurdi due to weather issues that disrupted his flight.

But Mr Obi, who addressed the gathering virtually, lauded Mr Ortom for his support, pledging that he would not let the people down.