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Governor Samuel Orotom of Benue State has finally declared his support for Atiku Abubakar, the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
This comes following the suspicion that the governor might dump the PDP due to his recent criticisms of the party.
How it all started: In June, Ortom called out the leadership of the PDP for allegedly betraying Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State.
Wike, who lost the PDP presidential primaries to Atiku Abubakar in May was angry about what played out during the conduct of the primary election in Abuja.
The governor was reportedly hurt further when Atiku decided to pick Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as his running mate against the recommendation of the committee set up by the party to suggest a Vice Presidential candidate for Atiku.
The committee recommended Wike but the presidential candidate preferred Okowa.
Explaining why he chose Okowa, Atiku in his recent interview, said he picked the Delta State Governor because he wanted someone he could work with amicably.
Atiku's choice of Okowa sparked a lingering controversy in the party as Ortom believed the PDP treated Wike badly.
Ortom also called on the leadership of the party to visit Wike in Rivers and beg him.
Since Okowa emerged as Atiku’s running mate, Wike and Ortom have neither congratulated Okowa nor showed any form of support to their party as the 2023 general elections draw close.
Ortom's U-turn: However, in a tweet on Monday, July 25, 2022, Ortom declared his support for Atiku saying whatever happened during the PDP primaries and nomination of the Presidential running mate have become a thing of the past.
He said, “I will not contradict @atiku on what he said. He is my candidate and I am behind him. Whatever happened in the course of the primaries and nomination of the Presidential running mate is now a thing of the past. PDP is a family, and we will always settle our matters in-house.”
While Ortom has made a U-turn to support Atiku, Wike, who recently vowed to tell Nigerians about what recently transpired in the PDP is yet to make any disclosure on why he’s been unusually quiet about happenings in his party.