Ortom Recants, Denies Ditching Wike’s Camp

*Takes ambigious position on Ayu

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

Less than 24 hours after denying working to oust the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, has denied breaking away from the camp of his Rivers State counterpart, Nyesom Wike.

Ortom had in a statement issued on Monday by his Chief Press Secretary, Nathaniel Ikyur, denied having a hand in the current travails of Ayu, who the camp of Wike, which he belongs to, called for his resignation as part of conditions for reconciliation.

The governor had issued the statement after he was accused by the Jemgbagh Development Association, Abuja chapter of working against a Benue son.

“It is outright mischief for anyone, including the Jemgbagh Development Association, Abuja chapter to accuse Governor Samuel Ortom of having a hand in the current travails of the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu.

“It is an open secret that Governor Ortom  worked tirelessly, alongside other prominent Benue citizens to ensure that Dr. Ayu gets elected as the national chairman of our great party even against all odds. He cannot therefore turn around  to work against him to be removed from office,” Ortom had said in the statement.

Surprisingly, the governor on Tuesday recanted as he claimed he was still with Wike’s camp.

In a statement issued Tuesday by press secretary Ikyur, Ortom, who had just returned from a London trip, insisted he stood with Wike and frowned at the injustices meted out to him.

According to the statement, Ortom said: “There is no breaking away from our group. I still sympathize with Wike for the injustices meted out on him and our group.”

 ” I just came back from London this morning with Wike and I still maintain my stand on what I said. I have not moved away from there. The party leadership has not been fair to Governor Wike based on the activities that took place during the convention and after the convention.

“They have not been able to adequately deploy the internal conflict resolution mechanism of the party to resolve those issues. So I still sympathize and stand with Wike and let the leadership of the party at the national level do the right thing. It is not too late to do so,” he said.

“Politics is about interest, and where your interest is not protected, you have the right to protest, ” Ortom said..

Ortom however refused to come clean and explain in clear terms whether he stands by the demands of Wike’s group which had insisted that Ayu must go.

He stressed  that with the interface he had with the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party, he hoped that the issues would be properly addressed.

Ortom  added: “The issue in contention about the national Chairman, the BOT, was here some few days ago and we deliberated on the matter. They sought to know what my feeling was about the crisis and I told them the truth as far I am concerned.

“I gave them my recommendations and I hope that justice will be done so that our party will gain its position to take over power in 2023.”