2023: Ayu begs Ortom as governor snubs PDP presidential campaign rally in Benue

Ayu, while speaking at the rally on Monday, appealed to Ortom, who had not shown support for Atiku, to join hands with the party to be able to rescue the country.

He said that he met with Abia state governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, one of the aggrieved governors of the party, popularly known as G-5 governors, two days ago and also urged him to work with them.

According to the PDP national chairman, there is no division in the party.

Ayu said that, “What we have is that some of our members are aggrieved but we are appealing to Governor Ortom to come back and join us to rescue the country.

“Governor Ortom has nowhere to go. We have already resolved our issue with Governor of Abia state, Okezie Ikpeazu.

“I was with him two days ago and he has agreed to work for the success of our party,” he added.

Atiku, while speaking to the mammoth crowd at the rally, promised to ensure that the crisis between the people of the state and Fulani herders would be resolved if voted into office.

He said that, “I am the umbrella of Tiv people worldwide. If you vote for me, I will make sure peace return to Benue State.

“I will come to the state and make sure that Fulani signs a peace pact with the people of the state.”

Atiku also promised that the $10 million promised in his blueprint would be injected into the economy to create jobs for the youths.

He further assured the people of Benue state that he would fix the federal roads within the state.

Recall that since the emergence of former vice-president, Abubakar Atiku, as PDP presidential candidate, there have been intensified moves by some aggrieved governors of the party, for Ayu’s replacement by a candidate from the south.

They argued that the party’s flag bearer for the 2023 presidential poll, and the national chairman, cannot come from the same geo-political zone.

The aggrieved governors also stated that they want Ayu to be replaced by a candidate from the south for the purpose of equity and political balance.