Former Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has unapologetically defended his actions during the 2023 presidential race, declaring that politics is driven by selfish motives and shifting alliances.
In an interview with ARISE News on Thursday, Ortom laid bare his reasons for backing a southern presidential candidate and turning against his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), during the last election cycle.
“The interest, politics, the way it runs, whether you accept it or not… politics is all about interest. No permanent enemy, no permanent friend,” he said. “Politics is selfish. And so, where your interest is not protected, you find something else.”
Reflecting on his alliance with Nyesom Wike, Ortom revealed he strongly supported the former Rivers State governor to become both the PDP presidential candidate and vice-presidential nominee.
“Yes, Wike is my friend. We work together until today and tomorrow he still remains my friend. We fought for him to be the candidate of the PDP in Nigeria… we fought that he should be the running mate. I was in the committee, 20-man committee… 16 of us accepted that it should be Wike. But somehow the candidates and those that were in the leadership of the party decided to work against him.”
As chairman of the party’s zoning committee, Ortom came under fire for allegedly enabling a northern candidacy. He pushed back, saying he couldn’t override party consensus.
“I was a chairman of the zoning committee, but I couldn’t overwhelm what the people wanted. And I reported back to the National Executive Committee.”
He explained that several aspirants had already purchased nomination forms, making zoning impractical.
“People felt that we should report back that it is impossible to talk about zoning in the North or zoning in the South. And so, we should allow a free contest… Atiku bought his form. Wike bought forms. Other people also bought.”
“The National Executive Committee was the final decision because the committee that I chaired was just a subcommittee to recommend… and it was decided that, well, let’s go into a free contest, which was done.”
Despite the PDP’s decision, Ortom remained firm on power rotation, criticizing moves to deny the South its rightful shot at the presidency.
“After all efforts to ensure that we had a southern candidate failed, Wike and some of us decided that, yes, it has to be a southern candidate.”
“Buhari, with all the challenges that he had, made it eight years. What stops the South from making eight years of presidency in this country? It will be unfair.”
“We all know that it is in the unwritten constitution that presidency should be between North and South. Eight years in the North, eight years in the South. How can you say that the South will have four years and then it goes back to the North? It doesn’t make sense to me.”
Pressed on why he couldn’t influence PDP’s direction, Ortom said the party leadership ignored voices like his.
“But if the party feels otherwise, it is their responsibility. It is no longer mine. I am just an individual. I made my proposal. I supported southern candidate. The party said, well, let us allow a free contest… and that was done.”
“Unfortunately, those who had control never listened to some of us. That was what brought us to where we are. So, we should accept what we have today as God’s order.”
“For me, as a child of God and somebody who believes… power belongs to God. He giveth it to whosoever he wills. Whatever you do, if God decides that it should be this person, the person will be there. You cannot stop the person.”
Looking ahead to 2027, Ortom made it clear where his loyalty lies.
“As Samuel Ortom, I have said that I will support a southern presidential candidate of my party.
“I see no reason why I should support a northern presidential candidate. 2031, if anybody from the South says that he wants to contest presidency, I will say no. Based on what I believe.”
