Samuel Ortom, the immediate past governor of Benue State, in response to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s hostile remarks against him, says the PDP presidential candidate in the 2023 elections should instead be worried about the reason G5-governors rejected him at the polls.
PM news report that, Ortom said rather than Atiku being angry because he was rejected by the G5- governors, he should be worried about the reason he was rejected.
Ortom was responding to Atiku’s accusation that he and the other G-5 members were looking for a position in the Federal Government and protection from prosecution in a statement delivered through his media assistant, Phrank Shaibu.
PM news report that, Former Governor Ortom was referred to by Atiku as one of the worst governors in Nigerian history.
However, in response, Ortom reaffirmed the G-5’s position and stated that the organisation supported justice, parity, and fairness.
In response to Governor Ortom and his G-5 colleagues’ refusal to be used by Atiku as “Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs)” to undermine and disrupt Nigerians’ determination to elect a president from the south, Atiku reportedly became enraged.
“Another reason for Atiku’s attack on Chief Ortom is the former governor of Benue State’s courage to confront him and correct him for making impolite remarks about the slaughter of Benue citizens by Fulani herdsmen. According to records, Atiku expressed resentment towards Ortom for having the audacity to pass a law banning animals from grazing in the open in the state.
Therefore, it is possible to interpret the former vice president’s tirade at Chief Ortom as a sign of frustration with the 2023 election result. His performance in the most recent election can be summed up by his refusal to lower himself and unite the PDP, choosing to stay haughty even when it was obvious that he was headed for defeat.
PM news report that, “Atiku lacks the moral authority to charge others with corruption. His old teacher, former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, labelled 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 offered to us was that of Atiku Abubakar. Up until that point, the EFCC maintained a tight working relationship with American and British law enforcement. I authorised Nuhu to conduct the probe at the authorities’ request and transmitted his report to the USA. The information in the investigation about Atiku and his cronies was unsettling and unsavoury.
Lukundu (
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