Prior to the February 25 presidential election, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has urged his relative, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, to join the party’s campaign effort.
At the party’s presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar’s campaign rally, which took place in the state on Monday, Ayu made the call.
All 22 of the local government chairmen in the state, including Ortom and his deputy Benson Abounu, abstained from the rally.
However, former governor, senator Gabriel Suswam, former Senate president David Mark, Emmanuel Yisa Orker-Jev, and Abba Moro, who represent the Benue North-West and Benue North-East senatorial districts, respectively, were among those that attended the campaign.
The party’s nominee for governor and his running mate, Titus Uba and John Ngbede, respectively, as well as a few members of the state working committee, attended the event.
Speaking at the occasion, Ayu urged Ortom, who had not supported Atiku, to work with the party in order to save the nation.
The PDP chairman claimed to have reconciled with Okezie Ikpeazu, the governor of Abia State and a member of the G-5 governors who are unhappy with Ayu and Atiku.
“What we have is some of our members who are aggrieved but we are appealing to Governor Ortom to come back and join us to rescue the country. Governor Ortom has nowhere to go. We have already resolved our issue with the Governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu. I was with him two days ago and he has agreed to work for the success of our party,” Ayu said.