The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has criticised former Benue State governor Samuel Ortom over his betrayal of the party in the 2023 general election.
The party tackled Ortom, accusing him and the G5 governors of acting out of personal interest rather than genuine concern for fairness and equity in the 2023 elections.
A member of the PDP National Working Committee, NWC, who spoke to Vanguard, Ortom’s motives and role in forming the G5 group, suggesting his opposition may have been more political than principled.
Ortom revealed Friday why he and other members of the G5 Governors’ Forum opposed the party and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in the 2023 elections.
Ortom, a key member of the G5 group of PDP governors, stated that the party’s failure to uphold equality, fairness, and justice is why they opted to oppose it.
Speaking on Arise TV yesterday, Ortom stated that the G5 had asked that the presidency shift to the South after eight years of Northern hegemony under President Muhammadu Buhari, but the PDP’s decision to field Atiku, who is also a Northerner, violated that principle.
“I acted as I did because we had expected the PDP to uphold equity, fairness, and justice, values I hold dear.
“When the majority of PDP members supported a Northern candidate, we deemed it unjust. We’ve always stood for equity, fairness, and justice, and we felt the presidency should alternate between the North and South for eight years each,” he said.
As head of the PDP’s zoning committee, Ortom stated that, while the committee recommended an open contest, he personally advocated for a Southern candidate.
He emphasised that the party’s National Executive Committee, or NEC, made the final decision, which resulted in Atiku’s candidature.
“I presented the committee’s report as it was, and the NEC made the final call. I couldn’t override the collective decision,” Ortom explained.
Reacting to Ortom’s remark, the party chieftain noted that Ortom and the then PDP Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, are from the same local government area and ethnic group.
The NWC member said, “If Ortom is talking about fairness, he should remember that both he and Ayu come from the same place. He was the one who recommended Ayu for the chairmanship. There was no disagreement until Atiku emerged as the party’s candidate.
“Now that the PDP is planning to zone the presidential ticket to the South in 2027, will Ortom support the party? Will he go back on his endorsement of Tinubu and work for the PDP?
“Politics is about teamwork. One person’s opinion should not override the decisions of the majority. If you want to play solo, then start your party.”
The PDP urged Ortom and others to put aside personal ambitions and support the party’s rebuilding efforts ahead of the 2027 general elections.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
