Former Benue State Governor and prominent member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Samuel Ortom, has unequivocally dismissed any possibility of aligning with the emerging coalition-supported African Democratic Congress (ADC), branding the initiative as weak and destined to fail.
During a televised appearance on Politics Today, broadcast by Channels Television on Monday, Ortom clarified his position, asserting that he would not join any coalition outside of the PDP. He emphasized his commitment to the party, reiterating his leadership role in Benue State and status as a member of the PDP’s Board of Trustees.
“People are free to join any coalition that they so wish, but for me, and the people that I lead, we remain in PDP,” Ortom declared during the interview. “I’m the leader of PDP in Benue State and a member of the BoT (Board of Trustees). I am not joining any coalition. We have no business with that.”
Ortom also cast serious doubts on the strength and future of the ADC-led coalition, suggesting that it would collapse under the weight of political realities and legal obstacles. “I don’t see it surviving. In any case, even if they survive, if they are through with the litigation that is going on, they will be defeated hands down,” he said.
These statements come at a time when the Nigerian political atmosphere is witnessing strategic realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections. Several opposition figures are reportedly seeking fresh alliances to break the long-standing dominance of the APC and PDP in national politics. The coalition backing the ADC is one of such efforts that has generated attention in recent weeks.
Addressing past controversies, Ortom spoke on the PDP’s internal crisis during the build-up to the 2023 general elections. He was widely criticized for opposing the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and instead throwing his weight behind a southern candidate. Ortom did not back down from his decision, maintaining that it was rooted in the principle of equity and regional balance.
“How can you explain to me that a northerner won the presidency for eight years and another northerner, from the same ethnic group, will win the presidency for another four or eight years, as the case may be?” Ortom asked, underscoring his belief that power rotation is vital to democratic fairness.
He further explained, “Our democracy has not gotten to that level. We said no; it is in the unwritten constitution that the North will do eight years and the South will do eight years. So, we believed in a southern presidency and not a northern presidency. That was why some of us supported a southern presidential aspirant.”
The former governor concluded by reaffirming that it was politically inappropriate for former President Muhammadu Buhari, a northerner who ruled for eight years, to be succeeded by another northerner in the person of Atiku Abubakar. According to Ortom, this scenario contradicts the spirit of balance that underpins Nigeria’s fragile political unity.
What You Should Know
Samuel Ortom is a two-term former governor and a key figure in the PDP leadership structure. His recent comments reinforce his party loyalty and reveal lingering tensions within the opposition ahead of the 2027 elections.
Ortom’s stance also highlights the enduring regional and ethnic considerations that continue to shape Nigeria’s political landscape.
