Ortom Unsure of Support for Atiku, Wants Wike Pacifed
In what was indicative of cracks within the ranks of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, yesterday, said he was still undecided about his support for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, because it was a decision that would be informed by the leading of the spirit.
Ortom, who declared that his Rivers State counterpart, Nyesom Wike, was badly treated by the party leadership, however, sought the possibility of a meeting between Atiku and Wike, where the issue currently creating a gulf in the party would be addressed completely.
At the same time, a former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has also explained why Wike would never support Atiku’s presidential bid, saying doing otherwise would forever haunt the Rivers governor.
Ortom, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governor, who spoke on the Morning Show of ARISE NEWS Channel, said the PDP leaders badly treated Wike by choosing Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State as the vice-presidential candidate of PDP, instead of Wike whom 14 out of 17 PDP members, voted for as their preferred choice.
However, multiple sources familiar with the decision making process leading to the eventual selection, disclosed to THISDAY last night that contrary to widespread believe that there was only one committee where Wike had 14 votes, Atiku actually set up four different committees to advise him on the choice of his vice presidential candidate. The committees according the sources, included that of Elders of the Party which was made up of the founding fathers of the party; a committee of governors, past and present and another committee of the National Assembly members.
“Yes, Wike may have succeeded in the committee Ortom talked about but contrary to agreement of non disclosure of their recommendations, the Rivers state governor went ahead to publicise the recommendation which was seen as attempt to tie Atiku’s hands.
But the key reason among others, was feeling among many northern leaders that Wike was anti-north and that it may be too risky to have him as the vice president given what they interpreted to be his anti-northern stance which they believe would strip north of resources. The issue of VAT which Wike championed was cited as example and became a key albatross against him. The aggressive manner he championed the VAT issue ruffled a lot of feathers in the North. Taking away VAT from federal control as you know would be detriment to many Northern States – only two states like Lagos and Rivers would be the greatest beneficiaries. Many northern states would simply go bankrupt. The northern leaders of thought read Wike’s position on this key issue to be anti-north and where therefore not happy with him.”
However, speaking further on the issue, Ortom said the party needed to consult more to appease those, who have been offended by the PDP leaders, adding also that, Nigerians must come together to salvage the country, stressing that he could not glibly declare his support for Atiku’s presidential bid, despite being from the same party except he heard from God.
Explaining why he has held back his support for Atiku, Ortom said, “I was among the 17-member committee set up by Atiku and 14 of us in the committee said the person should be Wike. Unfortunately, Atiku picked Okowa. That is his wisdom. You cannot ignore decision of a committee you set up yourself and expect people to be happy. For now, I have gone into hibernation.
“I am in hibernation. I am praying. When I finish the prayers and whatever God directs me, I will do. We expect Atiku to do more but we are not seeing that. They should stop that. Atiku should go to him (Wike). Why won’t he ignore their calls. Is that not an insult? Wike is a pillar in the party.
“Currently, Nobody in the party has contributed more for the party to move forward than Wike. If Atiku was not going to honour the decision of the committee, he should have called Wike earlier and informed him. He didn’t do that. You can’t do things anyhow and expect us to be happy.”
On his part, Fayose, in an exclusive telephone interview with an online newspaper, PREMIUM TIMES, recounted how Atiku “promised” to make Wike his running mate after he was declared winner of the PDP presidential primary election.
According to him, Atiku failed to fulfil his promise to Wike, when he settled for the Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, as his running mate.
“Wike never said he wanted to be VP, but when Atiku visited him, he was the one who said, ‘I want you to be my VP’. He said that to Wike. If that then changes, is Wike not supposed to be told? Is he not supposed to know?”
Noting that Atiku had ignored the recommendation of a committee set up by the party to pick his running mate, Fayose said, “PDP set up a committee to recommend a running mate for the candidate and the committee voted and picked Wike, but they didn’t comply with the recommendation of the committee. “If the party is now a one-man show, we will show them that we can resist it. We are with Wike 100 per cent. When they need Wike’s money and Wike’s support, they will say, ‘Wike is good enough’. Wike has been injured, but we will remain with him. Whatever he does is what we would do; wherever he asks us to go is where we will go.” Asked what would happen should Wike ask them to support Atiku, Fayose: “Wike will never say we should support Atiku. Wike cannot come out to say he is supporting Atiku. I dare him to say so, because he knows that whatever he says will haunt him forever. If Wike supports Atiku, we will abandon him.”
On whether the plan was to technically support the APC candidate, Bola Tinubu, or his counterpart in the Labour Party, Peter Obi, Fayose said, “This is not about Bola Tinubu or Obi, but this is about our belief that power must come to the south and it is a struggle we must actualise.” Read More at: https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2022/06/30/ortom-undecided-about-support-for-atiku-wants-wike-placated/
