Why I won’t contradict Atiku on choice of Okowa — Ortom

The executive governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom on Monday stated the reason why he would not contradict the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, on his choice of Ifeanyi Okowa, as the party’s vice-presidential candidate for the 2023 general election.

Ortom had earlier, in an interview on Arise TV accused the former vice president of rejecting the popular recommendation of Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, as the party’s presidential running mate.

But, Atiku through the same medium described as untrue the statement by the Benue State Governor, that he jettisoned the recommendation of the PDP committee on the selection of the party’s vice presidential candidate.

Answering questions from journalists in Makurdi on Monday, Ortom said, “There was no voting. I can give you a copy of the report of the committee. The committee that presented the three nominees was chaired by the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom. They recommended three people, so I picked one.”

The governor, however, said that the matter was already being addressed as a family matter.

Ortom said, “I wouldn’t want to contradict my presidential candidate. Whatever happens rightly or wrongly, I accept it. We’re the same family, we will find a way of resolving our matter.”

He added however that Wike was already being pacified by the PDP presidential candidate over the issues he had raised.

“All that I wanted should be done (for Wike). He (Atiku) has agreed and they are talking,” the governor posited.

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