Former Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, has defended his role in the 2022 PDP zoning controversy and reaffirmed his commitment to supporting a southern presidential candidate in 2027, insisting that politics is “all about interest.”

Speaking in an interview with ARISE News on Thursday, Ortom made it clear that political decisions are driven by personal and regional interests.

“The interest, politics, the way it runs, whether you accept it or not… politics is all about interest. No permanent enemy, no permanent friend,” Ortom said.

“Politics is selfish. And so, where your interest is not protected, you find something else.”

Ortom reflected on his support for Nyesom Wike, revealing that he backed Wike to become both the PDP’s presidential candidate and running mate.

“Yes, Wike is my friend. We work together until today and tomorrow he still remains my friend.

We fought for him to be the candidate of the PDP in Nigeria… we fought that he should be the running mate. I was in the committee, 20-man committee… 16 of us accepted that it should be Wike. But somehow the candidates and those that were in the leadership of the party decided to work against him.”

Responding to criticism that he, as chairman of the zoning committee, helped throw the primaries open, enabling Atiku Abubakar’s candidacy, Ortom said “I was a chairman of the zoning committee, but I couldn’t overwhelm what the people wanted.

And I reported back to the National Executive Committee.”

He explained that zoning had become complicated due to aspirants already purchasing nomination forms before the committee concluded its work.

“People felt that we should report back that it is impossible to talk about zoning in the North or zoning in the South.

And so, we should allow a free contest… Article bought his form. Wike bought forms. Other people also bought.”

“The National Executive Committee was the final decision because the committee that I chaired was just a subcommittee to recommend… and it was decided that, well, let’s go into a free contest, which was done.”

Ortom maintained his belief in the principle of power rotation and condemned any attempt to shortchange the South.

“After all efforts to ensure that we had a southern candidate failed, Wike and some of us decided that, yes, it has to be a southern candidate.”

“Buhari, with all the challenges that he had, made it eight years. What stops the South from making eight years of presidency in this country? It will be unfair.”

“We all know that it is in the unwritten constitution that presidency should be between North and South. Eight years in the North, eight years in the South.

How can you say that the South will have four years and then it goes back to the North? It doesn’t make sense to me.”

When asked why he couldn’t influence this position within his own party, Ortom responded:

“But if the party feels otherwise, it is their responsibility. It is no longer mine.

I am just an individual. I made my proposal. I supported southern candidate. The party said, well, let us allow a free contest… and that was done.”

“Unfortunately, those who had control never listened to some of us.

That was what brought us to where we are. So, we should accept what we have today as God’s order.”

“For me, as a child of God and somebody who believes… power belongs to God. He giveth it to whosoever he wills.

Whatever you do, if God decides that it should be this person, the person will be there. You cannot stop the person.”

When asked about the 2027 elections and who he might support within PDP, Ortom responded:

“As Samuel Ortom, I have said that I will support a southern presidential candidate of my party.

“I see no reason why I should support a northern presidential candidate. 2031, if anybody from the South says that he wants to contest presidency, I will say no. Based on what I believe.” (AriseNews TV)