…as Ortom backs Peter Obi
From Scholastica Onyeka, Makurdi
Ahead of Saturday elections, three senators representing the three senatorial districts of Benue state, have expressed their support for the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
This is barely one week after the Benue state Governor Samuel Ortom openly declared support for the Labour Party Presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi.
The three Benue senators, former governor and Senator Gabriel Suswam representing Benue North East Senatorial District, Senator Orker Jev representing Benue North West District and Senator Patrick Abba Moro representing Benue South Senatorial District.
A statement jointly signed by all the three senators, called “on all Benue people to vote for PDP candidates beginning from Atiku Abubakar as President and all PDP senatorial and house of representative candidates”.
The PDP National Chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu who addressed newsmen in his Makurdi, appealed to the Benue people to vote for Atiku Abubakar.
Ayu who was accompanied by Professor Iyorwuese Hagher, a Director in the PDP presidential campaign council, said he “salutes the Benue people for their patience and resilience to endure hardship and bad governance of the last eight years.
According to Ayu, “on the eve of this historic election, I wish to call on my states people to elect the PDP Presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, our governorship candidate Rt Hon Titus Uba and our candidates in the various positions. Atiku is a friend of Benue. Voting for him will be the best thing for all of us”.
Recall that Governor Samuel Ortom had endorsed Mr Peter Obi last week. Our correspondent reports that the endorsement of Atiku Abubakar by the three senators is an indication that the PDP in Benue is going into the elections with a divided house.