Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom has said he does not mind forfeiting his political career to see the presidential ambition of the Labour Party (LP) candidate, Peter Obi come to fruition.
Ortom revealed this while addressing members of the Igbo community in the State on Monday as he again reiterated his support for the former Anambra State governor.
The senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Benue North West is supporting Obi following his refusal to support the PDP candidate, Atiku Abubakar over a fallout with the national leadership of the PDP.
Recall, in January, Ortom officially endorsed Obi as his preferred presidential candidate.
“For me, it’s not even that I’m contesting an election. Yes, the form was bought for me by the people of Benue State. I’ve gone round; they have accepted that they will vote [for] me,” he said.
“But if I’m to sacrifice my senatorial ambition for Peter Obi to win, so shall it be.”
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“I know that if [any group of] people are connected in this world, they are the Igbo. This is the opportunity you have to say that an Igbo man from the South-East is president.”
According to him, apart from the opportunity for an Igbo man to emerge as leader of Nigeria, Obi’s candidacy is beyond tribalistic, religious, or any other sentiments.
He said: “So, let us not miss this opportunity that God himself is providing. The youth have told me, my own people have told me – stakeholders here, traditional rulers, party people across party lines. Obi’s matter is not about APC or PDP or SDP or any other party. It’s about Nigeria.
“That is why when I hear some prominent Igbo personalities castigating Peter Obi for contesting the election – is it not you people that have been saying you have been marginalised since after the war?
“The opportunity has come today and you’re still complaining. What do you want?! What are you looking for?
“The whole country – North, South, East, and West – are saying Peter Obi, and you hear some people say, ‘We don’t want it.’ Haba! Those people should be outcasts.”
