I’m sorry for imposing Titus Uba as PDP candidate in 2023 – Ortom begs

Former Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has admitted that he made a serious political error by compelling the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to adopt Mr. Titus Uba as its governorship candidate for the 2023 elections, a decision he said weakened the party’s electoral prospects.

Ortom acknowledged that the move contradicted the outcome of an internal mock primary conducted among aspirants, undermining the PDP’s competitiveness in the state. He described the decision as a costly misjudgment that haunted the party throughout the election season.

The former governor made the disclosure on Sunday at his residence in Makurdi while hosting former political appointees from the 23 local government areas of Benue State, who visited him in solidarity.

He revealed that several influential party stakeholders had advised against imposing a candidate, warning that such a choice would struggle to gain broad acceptance among voters—advice he admitted he ignored.

“I did not consult God before taking that decision,” Ortom said, expressing remorse over the outcome.

Ortom also tendered an apology to other governorship aspirants who had outperformed Uba in the party’s mock primary, saying:
“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 further highlighted warning signs even before the election, citing Uba’s health challenges and the financial burden on the state, noting that the candidate’s treatment overseas cost the state over N300 million, a factor he admitted indicated Uba might not have been the best choice for the party.

In conclusion, Ortom offered an unconditional apology to all PDP aspirants, admitting his insistence on Uba’s candidacy.
“I insisted it must be Uba. I am sorry for my actions,” he said.