2023: Atiku has approached me to plead with Wike- Ortom
By Admin
Efforts to resolve the post-presidential primary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) appears to be yielding results.
Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom yesterday said the presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubukar, had requested him to pacify Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike.
Ortom, who featured on Arise Television ‘Good Morning Show’, also dismissed rumour of possible defection of some PDP governors to another political party.
The new rapprochement, according to Ortom, was part of the measures taken by Atiku to resolve the crisis arising from the nomination of Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as the vice presidential candidate.
Since the announcement of Okowa, the PDP has been going through serious heat. While some have kicked against the decision, others called for the resignation of the party’s national chairman, Senator Iyorcha Ayu.
Okowa’s emergence has pitched Wike’s camp against that of Atiku. Some had threatened to leave the party.
Atiku had ignored the recommendation of a committee he set up to pick his running mate.
The committee had picked Wike, who came second during the party’s presidential primary, but Atiku opted for Okowa.
But, Ortom said Atiku had reached out to him to pacify Wike.
He expressed hope that Wike would work with Atiku, ahead of 2023 polls.
The governor, who recounted how Wike stood by him when Benue State was under siege by herders, pledged his allegiance to the Rivers governor.
Ortom said: “Efforts are on to resolve the crisis in the party. Our presidential candidate has reached out to me to pacify Wike. Wike stood with me at my worst time when my state was under siege.
“I believe working with Wike will help get a better result. Once Wike is pacified, I will also be pacified. The issue is not about our personal interests, but about Nigeria.
“You will agree that Nigeria is under siege by a cabal that wants to enslave everybody.
“We have been brought from top to bottom; we need everybody to come together to see how we can rescue our country.”
Ortom said there was no truth in the rumour that Wike and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde were planning to defect from the PDP.
All Progressives Congress (APC) Governors Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo) and Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), recently met with Wike in Port Harcourt in what was seen as an attempt to feed on his discontent in the PDP to woo him into the ruling party.
Ortom, who campaigned for Wike to become the presidential running mate, affirmed that all three governors met and resolved to remain in the PDP.
However, the Benue governor stressed the need for Atiku to pacify Wike to enable the PDP to approach the 2023 election as a formidable force.
Ortom stated: “Coming to why some of us were absent, I was not around, I travelled. This was a programme that was planned over three months ago. I had to go to the United Kingdom, I had to go to the United States of America. I actually met with Governor Wike in London and met with my brother, the Governor of Oyo State, Makinde and the Governor of Abia State Okezie Ikpeazu. That provided an opportunity to brainstorm on what was happening back home – in our party, the PDP especially.
“One thing I want to assure you and Nigerians is that we are not going to defect to any political party. We are members of PDP. Wike, in particular, has been very instrumental to the growth of our party in the absence of any former president produced by our great party. President Olusegun Obasanjo was produced by this party. You are aware that President Goodluck Jonathan also has issues and he decided not to get involved with what is happening in the party.
“So, Wike was the anchorman. We discussed this matter in our meeting in London and we all agreed we are not leaving the party. But, let there be due process and the need to ensure that everybody is carried along.
“Wike contested. Some of us believed in Southern presidency and we thought Wike was the right person to get the ticket. He did not get it.
“When the issue of vice president came, I want to tell you that I was one of the people that convinced Wike that half a loaf is better than none. You wanted to be president but, God did not make it.
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possible. There is nothing wrong with asking to be the vice president.
Unfortunately, this did not work. I have explained what transpired the last time.”
Ortom said the national leadership must act to bring everyone together to rescue the country.
He said Wike cannot be ignored if the PDP wanted to achieve the desired success in 2023, adding: “I believe our presidential candidate will work with Wike. Once they discuss, and he’s pacified, I will be pacified. I may not be speaking for my other colleagues with whom we are working together. But in our meeting, we agreed that our brother, Governor Wike needed to be pacified and once that is done, all of us will team up together.”
Source: The Nation
