2023: Gov Ortom wants other presidential candidates to step down for Peter Obi in viral video
![Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state [right] and the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi](https://i0.wp.com/news.band/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Peter-Obi-Samuel-Ortom.jpg?fit=600%2C400&ssl=1)
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The Governor of Benue State, Mr. Samuel Ortom, has sought that the presidential candidates of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar respectively, should step down for the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi.
Governor Ortom made the remarks on Wednesday when he met behind closed doors in the governor’s private residence in Abuja with Mr. Obi.
Recall that News Band had reported that the Benue State Governor and the Labour Party presidential candidate met behind closed doors at the governor’s residence in Abuja.
According to the report, the meeting came less than 24 hours after the Governor returned from his two weeks working leave and trip to the United Kingdom and United States.
Speaking to news men after the meeting, Ortom expressed appreciation for the gesture of Peter Obi to reach out to him in consultation.
He advised the former Anambra State Governor to also reach out to others across other political parties, hoping that other presidential candidates will step down for him.
In the “strategic communication”, Ortom, who won election on PDP platform, said in a video that went viral:
“Where we are today, I’ve always said, we must look beyond politics. And we must work towards a joint working together to ensure that we rescue Nigeria and rebuild it.
“I think that Peter Obi’s credentials are very clear and everybody knows.
“I appreciate him and he knows that I am a very big stakeholder in PDP but he found time to visit me and he’s been going round.
“This is commendable and I appreciate him and like I always say, John 3:27: “A man can receive nothing except if it is given to him from above.”
“So. if God decides that it is him, nobody can stop him. If God decides that it is somebody else, nobody can also stop him.
“This is a very welcome development and I believe that he will reach out even to other presidential candidates of various political parties in the PDP, APC and NNPP.
“I believe that he should be able to reach out to them to sit down with them, analyse the Nigerian situation and see if he can convince them to even step down for him because there is provision.
“If they do that, that can work. But let us be seeing as putting Nigeria first. That is what is most important.”
On his part, Peter Obi thanked the governor, and while appreciated his teeming structure of followers, dispelled talks that he does not have structure, saying that frustrated millions of Nigerians are his structure.
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He said: “For me it’s just a courtesy call on somebody I consider a brother and a governor of Benue State. It’s just a courtesy call; private courtesy call.
“I’ve said it before when people talk about structure that my structure are the hundred million Nigerians living in poverty, thirty-five million young people unemployed, those people who are finding it difficult to live as a people.
“Nigerians are today spending over hundred per cent of the money feeding. They are my structures.
“And above all I have my most important structure; the Almighty God.”
Meanwhile, there are talks making rounds that Governors Ortom, Wike and others are gearing to take decision on defection.
Rumours are making rounds that the two, including Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, may join Peter Obi in the Labour Party.
Wike, it could be recalled, expressed strong reservation after he was denied the PDP vice presidential slot which was handed to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State.
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