Former Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has confessed that his decision to impose Mr Titus Uba as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the 2023 elections was a serious political error that weakened the party’s chances in the state.
Ortom acknowledged that the move went against the outcome of an internal mock primary among aspirants and eroded the PDP’s competitiveness during the elections. Speaking on Sunday at his Makurdi residence, while hosting former political appointees from the state’s 23 local government areas, Ortom described the decision as a costly misjudgment that haunted the party throughout the election season.
Several influential PDP stakeholders had reportedly warned Ortom against imposing a candidate, cautioning that such a choice might fail to gain broad voter acceptance. Ortom admitted he ignored the advice. “I did not consult God before taking that decision,” he confessed, expressing remorse for the outcome.
He also issued an apology to governorship aspirants who had outperformed Uba in the party’s mock primary. “I apologise to those who were ahead of him when you conducted your mock election to determine the leading candidate among the then aspirants,” he said.
Ortom highlighted warning signs even before the election, pointing to Uba’s health challenges and the enormous financial implications for the state. “His treatment overseas cost the state government over N300 million. That alone was a sign that he was not the right choice for the party,” Ortom noted.
Concluding his remarks, the former governor issued an unconditional apology to all PDP aspirants, admitting that insisting on Uba’s candidacy was a grave error. “I insisted it must be Uba. I am sorry for my actions,” he said.
The revelation offers rare insight into the internal dynamics of the PDP in Benue State and the strategic decisions that shaped its fortunes in the 2023 elections.
