Former Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom has said that the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 presidential election, Atiku Abubakar is angry because he was rejected by him and the G5- governors.
Ortom was responding to a remark made by Atiku through his media assistant Phrank Shaibu, in which Atiku accused Ortom and the other members of the G-5 of seeking employment and protection from prosecution from the Federal Government.
According to Ortom, the presidential candidate should be concerned about the reasons why the G-5 and other integrity group members rejected his bid.
According to Atiku, the former governor of Benue was among the worst governors in Nigerian history and that is reflected in the size of his case file with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
However, in response, Ortom reaffirmed the G-5’s position and claimed that the group stood for justice, equity, and fairness. He also asserted that the 2023 presidency must be won by a candidate from the south of Nigeria because Nigerians had already recognized the undeniable truths in the Integrity Group’s position.
Part of the statement stated, “Atiku is unhappy because Governor Ortom and his colleagues in the G-5 refused to be employed by him as ‘Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs)’ to get around and block Nigerians’ determination to produce a President from the southern area.
“Another reason for Atiku’s attack on Chief Ortom is the former governor of Benue State’s courage to confront him with the facts and chastise him for making impolite remarks about the slaughter of Benue citizens by Fulani herdsmen. According to public records, Atiku voiced resentment toward Ortom for having the audacity to pass a law outlawing the grazing of livestock in the open in the state.
“Therefore, the former Vice President’s tirade at Chief Ortom can be regarded as a sign of frustration about the 2023 election result. The results of the last election can be summed up by his refusal to submit to pressure and unite the PDP, choosing instead to act haughtily despite warning signs that he was losing.
“Atiku lacks the moral authority to charge others with corruption. His old teacher, former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, labeled him as a very corrupt man, and those statements have remained indelible and undeniable. Chief Obasanjo writes the following on pages 191–192 of his book “My Watch”:
“One of the names that was sent to us was Atiku Abubakar. Up until that point, the EFCC maintained a tight working relationship with American and British law enforcement. I authorized Nuhu to conduct the probe at the authorities’ request and transmitted his report to the USA. The information in the study concerning Atiku and his friends was unsettling and repugnant. The Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is being investigated for corruption, which I thought was terrible enough given that my Administration has made eliminating corruption one of its utmost priorities. In the end, the US Bureau of Investigation (FBI) searched Atiku’s home as a result of the investigations in Nigeria and the US. It was so embarrassing for our Administration and Embassy in Washington…”
“The role of anti-graft agencies was to investigate allegations of corruption,” Ortom said, acknowledging that he accepted the anti-graft agency’s offer. Every time they invite someone, that person is required to accept the invitation. When the EFCC requested clarifications on the administration’s activities, Chief Ortom readily visited the organization because he believes in the rule of law.
The former governor pleaded with Nigerians to ignore the charge made against him by Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, calling it baseless and akin to cheap blackmail.
From: PUNCH
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