Can Ortom Sacrifice His Senatorial Election for Friendship?

                                         POLITICAL NOTES

This is not the best of time for the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, as his kinsmen have sternly warned him to either leave the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, alone or forget his aspiration to go to the senate in 2023.

Ayu’s kinsmen under the aegis of Jemgbagh Development Association, Abuja Chapter, threatened political consequences against Ortom should he continue aligning with those seeking to force Ayu to resign. President of the association, Terver Felix Abor, accused the governor of pursuing a deliberate attempt to undermine the people of Jemgbagh. He said although the group remains a socio-cultural and non-partisan organisation, it would not fold its arms to watch any of its sons or daughters being unjustifiably attacked.

Governors Ortom; Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu; Okezie Ikpeazu, Abia; Seyi Makinde, Oyo; and and their leader Nyesom Wike, have been clamouring for Ayu’s resignation as PDP chairman. They have refused to be placated since Wike lost the president ticket and the vice presidential slot. They also withdrew themselves from the party’s presidential campaign council last month and were conspicuously absent at the flag-off of the party’s presidential campaign in Uyo last Monday.

Ortom who is also contesting for a Senate seat in 2023, had on a number of occasions said nobody can stop his friendship with Wike. He said that the relationship has come to stay since they both share the same ideology of speaking truth to power. He equally maintained that Wike had supported the state against the onslaught of Fulani herdsmen ravaging the state since the 2017.

But the question the people of the state are asking is: Does that mean he should sacrifice one of their own for his friendship with Wike? They equally wondered why he can’t appeal to Wike to move on and look to the future instead of constantly sulking. Why has Wike taken the matter so personal to the extent that he cannot be placated?

What will be Ortom’s benefit if Ayu, who is also a prominent son of the state is pushed to resign from office? Is he willing to lose senatorial election on the altar of friendship? This is what the people of the state are waiting to see.