Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State on Wednesday said he would have worked for the success of the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, if he were not a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Ortom, who stated this in Abuja when he hosted Obi at his private residence, also lamented that the country was in a terrible situation.
The governor alongside Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State as well as three other governors have been calling for PDP national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, to step down for a southerner.
Ortom and members of the Wike’s camp have since distanced themselves from the PDP rallies.
But yesterday, ortom said, “I’m in PDP and I am working for the PDP, but I tell you if I were not in PDP, you will see me working for Peter Obi but I am in PDP. Let’s see how things work out but the truth is that the Bible says a man can receive nothing except it is given to him from above.”
The governor said Obi may not have the wherewithal but if God decides, no one can stop it.
He identified Obi, Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and PDP’s Atiku Abubakar as the three frontline candidates and urged Nigerians to elect the best among them without any sentiments.
Ortom also urged Obi, Atiku, and Tinubu to meet and agree on one of them.
He enjoined all citizens to be involved in redeeming the country, stressing that “everyone must come together irrespective of religious, ethnic and political partisanship to salvage the situation.”
The governor thanked Obi for his genuine concern over the plight of flood victims across the country, describing him as a noble, compassionate, truthful and reliable man.
Obi, while responding to questions from journalists, said he “met with Governor Samuel Ortom to commiserate with him over the ravages of the floods in Benue State resulting in huge loss of lives, property and farmlands and massive displacement.”
He said, “I came to inform the governor of my intent to visit some of the affected areas and discussed how we, as presidential candidates, can assist the affected states.
“I recall that in 2012 Benue, Anambra and other states were similarly affected and the federal government and Nigerians rallied in support of flood victims, especially the IDPs.”
Obi said he had put off his campaigns for the sake of Nigerians affected by the floods.
