Ortom Reveals How G5 Governors Backed Wike for PDP Presidential Ticket and Running Mate Slot
Former Benue State governor Samuel Ortom has opened up about the behind-the-scenes efforts by a coalition of five Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors to push for Nyesom Wike, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to emerge as the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections.
Speaking on Arise TV’s Morning Show on Thursday, Ortom revealed that he, alongside Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Nyesom Wike (Rivers), and himself—collectively known as the G5 Governors—initially backed Wike to clinch the PDP ticket.
According to Ortom, when that bid failed, the group shifted their support toward making Wike the vice-presidential candidate to Atiku Abubakar, who eventually became the PDP flagbearer. However, he said their efforts were “thwarted by some elements” within the party’s leadership.
“We fought for Wike to be the PDP candidate. Unfortunately, he didn’t get it. Then we said, ‘Okay, let him be the running mate,’ and 16 out of 20 of us in a committee supported his nomination. But the presidential candidate and some in the party’s leadership worked against it,” Ortom disclosed.
He underscored that politics is often driven by personal and regional interests, noting that many decisions made during the build-up to the 2023 elections were based on strategic alignments rather than loyalty.
“Politics is about interests—personal, communal, regional. Where your interest is not protected, you move. That’s what happened,” he added.
Ortom affirmed his continued friendship with Wike, emphasizing that despite political disagreements, their bond remains intact.
“Wike is still my friend. We worked together and still do. That hasn’t changed,” he said.
The revelation offers a glimpse into the internal wrangling and strategic power plays that shaped the PDP’s 2023 electoral campaign.
