WorldStage— Former Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has reaffirmed his support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid, stating that the presidency must remain in the Southern part of Nigeria.
Ortom, a prominent chieftain and Board of Trustees member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), made his stance clear while debunking rumours that linked him to a potential northern presidential candidate.
The ex Benue governor maintains that power rotation is vital for Nigeria’s national stability, cohesion, and equity, insisting the South must complete a full eight-year tenure before power returns to the North.
He declared that even if his own party, the PDP, chooses to field a candidate for the 2027 election, he will only offer his backing if that individual is from the Southern region.
Ortom confirmed that his political alignment remains firmly rooted with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and the PDP’s G5 alliance, which heavily influenced the outcome of the 2023 elections by opposing a northern candidate.
He praised President Tinubu’s administration for major economic overhauls, emphasizing that policies like the fuel subsidy removal and tax modifications have increased revenue flow to state governments to help pay workers.
Ortom’s media team firmly dismissed reports from the International Centre for Transparency Nigeria (ICTN) that alleged he was quietly planning to support former Vice President Atiku Abubakar or any alternative northern candidate for the 2027 election.
He described the claims as completely false, baseless, and inconsistent with his long-standing track record of fighting for fairness and justice in national leadership.
