Governor Ortom’s aide opens up on G5 Governors and Atiku

Benue governor, Samuel Ortom has not abandoned in his colleagues in G5 Governors’ Forum who have refused to back the presidential candidate of their party for 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar.

Media aide to Ortom, Terver AKASE made the denial on behalf of his boss while reacting to an online report indicating that the G-5 have agreed to support Atiku for the 2023 election.

But Akase described the report as false and mischievous published with intention of embarrassing the G5 Governors
He added that the report will not dissuade the G5 Governors from following the path of justice, fairness and equity they have chosen in their agitations.

The statement read in parts: “We read a fictitious online report which claimed that the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom and his colleagues in the G-5 have resolved to work for the presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to win the 2023 election.

“Manufacturers of the said report were apparently on a desperate mission to score a cheap political point. The report could not mention the place and date of the said meeting of G-5 Governors.

“The writers only sought to take advantage of the crisis within the PDP for their selfish purposes. Governor Ortom and other members of the G-5 have not endorsed the said presidential candidate.

“When the Governor met with the expanded state caucus of PDP yesterday January 9, 2023 at the Benue Peoples House, Makurdi, his message to them was crystal clear that the national leadership of PDP has failed to utilize its internal conflict resolution mechanism which has led to the crisis rocking the party.

“The Governor said during the meeting that if the crisis is not resolved before the elections, he would be left with no other option than to take a stand on the matter. He added however that he wouldn’t impose his decision on members of the party in the state.

“Stakeholders present at the meeting commended the Governor for his patriotic disposition and pledged to line up behind him”.

Akase added that stakeholders at the meeting promised to find ways of resolving the internal crisis rocking PDP.

They also assured the Governor that they would continue to stand with him through thick and thin.

Akase said Ortom did not address the press after the meeting while emphasizing that the online report is fake and should be disregarded.