Two prominent members of the Peoples Democratic Party in Benue State have disowned the state governor, Samuel Ortom, over his choice of candidate for the Saturday presidential election in the state.
Former Minister of Power and Steel, Professor Iyorwuese Hagher, and former Minister of Interior, Senator Abba Moro, on Monday, at a town hall meeting organised by professionals for Atiku claimed that none of the presidential candidates had the potential and experience like the PDP’s Atiku Abubakar.
The PDP chieftains urged the participants to go down to the grassroots and draw support for Atiku.
This contradicts the position of Governor Ortom who last week drummed support for the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
Moro, who was the guest speaker at the occasion, noted that the nation is bedevilled by crisis and the only person capable of restoring peace in the country is Atiku.
He said, “Most of the presidential candidates are hoodwinking Nigerians and not even proffering solutions to our problems. Infrastructural deficit has remained an eyesore in the state and other parts of Nigeria, particularly roads.
“The alarming level of insecurity and educational system collapse, in fact, all aspects of our socio-economic life is begging for a solution. We need someone with structure and experience to take Nigeria out of the woods.
“We should take a critical assessment at the antecedents of the candidates. Atiku has the ability to address institutional educational decay, public-private partnership development and also, unify Nigeria. He is a bridge builder.
“Those governors not supporting him have their lifeline at stake. The G-5 is already divided. Benue people should be careful in picking their choice as we do not have the clout or a large voting population and if we mismanage the little we have, then we will be in problem,” Moro admonished.
Professor Hagher in his own speech described as immature the sentiment whipped up that Atiku from the same Fulani that has been killing people in the state.
Hagher likened Atiku to the biblical serpent carved by Moses in the wilderness when the Israelites were bitten by snakes saying those who beheld the snake were healed.
“God did not use crocodile or bird but the same fiery serpents that was set on a pole, so a Fulani man was killing our people but another Fulani man is coming to relieve us from the killing,” he said.
