Former Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has reiterated that he does not regret working against former Vice President Atiku Abubakar during the 2023 presidential election.
Speaking on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme aired on Monday, Ortom stated that his decision to oppose Atiku’s candidacy under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was guided by the interests of his people.
“I did not hide it. I have no regret,” the former governor declared.
Ortom was a prominent member of the G5 — a group of five former PDP governors — who publicly withdrew support for Atiku and instead endorsed the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who eventually won the election.
Reacting to accusations that his actions amounted to a betrayal of the PDP, Ortom dismissed such claims.
“Which betrayal? Pursuing my interest and the interest of my people? The interest of my people is that you provide what they want,” he said.
“If you ask me, I would describe politics as a game of doing what your people want, not what I want. Politics is a game of interest, and if I have somebody working against my interest and the interest of my people, I have to fight back,” he added.
The former governor further questioned the logic behind Atiku, a northerner, seeking to succeed another northerner, President Muhammadu Buhari, who had just completed two terms in office.
On the formation of a new opposition coalition under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Ortom dismissed the platform as unsustainable. The coalition was recently unveiled by several prominent Benue politicians, including former Senate President David Mark and ex-Governor Gabriel Suswam.
While expressing skepticism about the coalition’s viability, Ortom reaffirmed his loyalty to the PDP.
“People are free to join any coalition that they so wish, but for me, and the people that I lead, we remain in PDP. I’m the leader of PDP in Benue State and a member of the BoT,” he said.
Ortom also noted that he was not surprised by Atiku’s recent withdrawal from the PDP, further highlighting the internal divisions within the party since the 2023 general elections.
