Nyesom Wike, Governor of Rivers State, has praised his Benue State counterpart, Samuel Ortom, for supporting the return of power to Nigeria’s southern region at the expense of his senatorial ambition.
Wike made the remarks on Tuesday at the inauguration of the Government Secondary School Kpor in Rivers State’s Gokana Local Government Area.
Ortom is one of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors who, in the run-up to the 2023 general elections, demanded that the presidency be rotated from the north to the south. Wike, Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi are the other G5 governors (Enugu).
In the run-up to the February 25 presidential election, Ortom fought the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, on the basis that he is a northerner. Ortom has publicly stated his support for Labour Party leader Peter Obi (LP). Despite being from Benue State, the outgoing governor was not on good terms with the then-National party’s Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu.
Ortom ran on the PDP platform for the Benue North-West Senatorial seat, but was defeated by his former aide, Titus Zam of the All Progressives Congress (APC). In addition, the PDP lost the governorship election in Benue on March 18 to the APC.
Wike stated on Tuesday that despite his defeat in the governorship and senatorial elections in Benue, Ortom is the true winner of the polls.
Wike thanked Ortom for his support for the power shift to the south, adding that his decision prompted some critics to band together against the Benue governor.
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Wike, who described Ortom as a brother, assured Ortom that posterity will be kind to him and that the people of Rivers State will always be with him.
“You may think you have lost, but you didn’t lose, you are the winner,” Wike said.
“Let me thank you for standing firm that the presidency should go to the South, you paid for it but history will be with you.
“When the time came for people to stand up, for Nigeria to be united, you came out and said ‘Yes, I’m from this zone yet for equity and fairness, it will be for the unity of this country if the presidency is zoned to the South’.
“We will be wherever you are, we will give you every support that you require from Rivers State. Because of your fight, people stood up and fought you. Yes, you lost your Senate, but you made it clear in leadership. God will continue to bless, and guide you.”