2023: Ortom reveals three names PDP panel considered as Atiku’s running mate

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has revealed the three names the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, presented from which a panel was to decide his running mate.

According to him, they are Governor Nyesom Wike (Rivers State), Governor Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta State) and Governor Emmanuel Udom (Akwa Ibom State).

However, Ortom claims their preference was Wike, who he described as “eminently qualified”.

“Of course, three names were presented. In the order of preference, it was Wike, Okowa, and Governor Udom.

“Three of them were qualified but Governor Wike was eminently qualified.

“We said that for the PDP to win, we needed Governor Wike.

“Yes, Wike may have his own weak points, but to some people, those were his strong points in this life,” Ortom said on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday.

Ortom also stressed that Atiku shouldn’t have sought consultations if he was going to choose Okowa without considering the recommendations of the panel.

“If he decided just like he did in 2019 by choosing (Peter) Obi without consultation, and it was accepted, he could have done the same thing.

“But bringing all of us together, taking me from my state and taking several other governors from their states and bringing all of us to a committee — very responsible stakeholders, BOT, former governors’ forum and national working committee — and asking us to recommend, I think 14 out of 17 is enough to take a decision for anyone, whether you are a candidate or not,” Ortom added.