Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has told Arise TV that he will support Atiku Abubakar’s presidential bid only if God gives him the go-ahead.
Atiku won the People’s Democratic Party’s presidential primaries in May, the same Party Ortom belongs to.
Ortom who is close friends with Nyesom Wike, Rivers State Governor, is not happy that his friend was overlooked in favour of Patrick Okowa of Delta State.
Ortom who owes both Civil servants and pensioners years worth of salaries, pensions and gratuities, said he’s currently hibernating, seeking God’s direction on who to root for.
“All of us have our weapon; Wike can be ‘something something’ but when it comes to mobilisation, impact, value addition and reaching out to make sure that the party works the man is an instrument. He’s somebody who stood for the party and made sure that things worked. Some of us believed in him, but unfortunately, it was somebody else. But the party is supreme,” he said.
“However, some of us have resorted to prayers. I have been in hibernation. We’ve resorted to prayer: ‘Lord God, where do we go from here.’ I believe as a Christian that power belongs to God. The Bible says a man can receive nothing except it is given to him from above.“I am praying. I have gone into hibernation. I am fasting and praying. So in the end, if God directs me that I should support Atiku, why should I not do it? After all, he’s my party member.”
“But I am waiting for him to do more. I expect him to reach out to Wike, who came second in the presidential primary. The man he denied the popular view of the PDP members — 14 out of 17 — who said Wike should be the vice-presidential candidate. I expect more explanation. I expect him to talk to Wike — whom we are supporting — first. I expect him to reach out to some of us so that together we can work as a party.”
