Photo: Obi and Ortom during the visit
Gov Samuel Ortom of Benue has challenged Nigerians to vote wisely and choose the right person to lead the country during the 2023 elections.
The governor added that if not that he was a member of the PDP, he would have been campaigning for the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi.
Gov Ortom stated this when Obi suspended his campaign tours over recent flood disasters in the country and paid him a courtesy visit at his Abuja residence on Wednesday.
He said, “Our people are suffering and that should be enough.
“We are discussing the welfare of over 200 million people and I task the Nigerian voters to take the right decision.
“There are three major parties in the race, and that includes my party, PDP, the Labour Party, and APC.
“I want Nigerians to choose wisely for the good of our future.
“And, I have to tell you that if I were not a member of the PDP, I would have been campaigning for Peter Obi.”
While acknowledging Obi’s visit and good intentions, Gov Ortom thanked him for what he described as his kind heart.
Speaking earlier, Obi had said that he decided to call off his campaign tours because the welfare and concern for the flood victims are more compelling for him.
“I am here to take permission from the Benue State governor to visit some communities affected by the floods in his state. After Benue I will visit two or more states for the same reason.
“I believe it is worth doing because we have lost many lives and more others displaced. We can’t behave like they don’t matter and go on tour for the campaign.
“I am also calling on other presidential candidates to do the same.
“We have to visit and show those victims love and concern. They are our citizens and all our campaigns should be for their own good first.
“I also want to spare some resources for them and would want others to do the same.
“If we can pay huge amounts of money to buy presidential tickets, then it should not be too much to extend some support to our people in such distress.
“After the visits, then my campaign tours can commence,” the former Anambra State Governor said.
Periscope International recalls that the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) announced last week that up to 500 persons had died in the floods nationwide.
Most of the states of Nigeria along the banks of River Nigeria have been affected.
They include Taraba, Benue, Kogi, Delta, Anambra, Imo, and Rivers states.
The floods have displaced no fewer than 50,000 Nigerians from their homes and devastated livelihood.
