Former Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has admitted that he committed a grave political error by compelling the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to adopt Mr Titus Uba as its governorship candidate for the 2023 elections, an action he said ultimately weakened the party’s electoral fortunes.
Ortom acknowledged that the decision contradicted the
outcome of an internal mock primary conducted among aspirants and eroded the
PDP’s competitiveness in the state.
According to him, the move proved to be a costly misjudgment
that haunted the party throughout the election season.
The former governor made the disclosure on Sunday at his
residence in Makurdi while hosting former political appointees from the 23
local government areas of Benue State, who visited him in solidarity.
He disclosed that several influential party stakeholders had
cautioned him against imposing a candidate, warning that such a choice would
struggle to gain widespread acceptance among voters, advice he admitted he
ignored.
“I did not consult God before taking that decision,” Ortom
said, while expressing remorse over the outcome.
He also tendered an apology to other governorship hopefuls
who outperformed Uba in the party’s mock primary, saying, “I apologise to those
who were ahead of him when you conducted your mock election to determine the
leading candidate among the then aspirants.”
Ortom further stated that warning signs were evident even
before the election, pointing to the candidate’s health challenges and the
heavy financial implications for the state.
“His treatment overseas cost the state government over N300
million. That alone was a sign that he was not the right choice for the party,”
he said.
In closing, the former governor offered an unconditional
apology to all those who vied for the PDP governorship ticket, admitting his
insistence on Uba’s candidacy. “I insisted it must be Uba. I am sorry for my
actions.”
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