The internal crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has deepened, following fresh revelations from former Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, over the decision of the G5 Governors’ Forum to oppose the party and its 2023 presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
Ortom, speaking on Arise TV, said the PDP’s disregard for the principles of equity, fairness, and justice led to the rebellion by the G5 governors, who demanded a southern presidential candidate after eight years of northern leadership under President Muhammadu Buhari.
“I acted as I did because we expected the PDP to uphold fairness. When the party fielded another northern candidate in Atiku, it betrayed that principle,” Ortom stated, noting that despite chairing the PDP zoning committee, he personally rooted for a southern candidate. He added that while the committee recommended an open contest, the National Executive Committee (NEC) ultimately endorsed Atiku’s candidacy.
He further disclosed that the G5 backed former Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, for the presidential ticket and later, the vice-presidential slot, both of which were denied him. Ortom argued that politics is rooted in interest, not permanent loyalty. “There are no permanent friends or enemies in politics—only permanent interests,” he said, defending his support for opposition candidates.
Responding, Atiku Abubakar, through his spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu, dismissed Ortom’s position as opportunistic. “The G5 rebellion was not about justice but ego and political miscalculations,” Shaibu said. He accused Ortom of hypocrisy, having chaired the zoning committee that approved the open primary.
Shaibu added: “Ortom’s ‘support’ for a southern presidency was inconsistent. He backed Peter Obi of the Labour Party, then stood with Wike who supported Bola Tinubu. That’s not principle—it’s confusion.”
The PDP also weighed in, accusing Ortom and the G5 of pursuing personal ambitions. A member of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), who spoke anonymously, questioned Ortom’s sincerity, noting his close alliance with former PDP chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, who hails from the same area.
“If Ortom truly believes in fairness, why did he back Ayu for chairman when both are from the same local government?” the source queried. “His opposition began only after Atiku emerged. Politics is about teamwork, not personal agenda.”
In a related development, former presidential aspirant and media mogul, Dele Momodu, formally resigned from the PDP, citing internal hijack by anti-democratic forces. In a letter dated July 17, 2025, addressed to his ward chairman in Edo State, Momodu announced his defection to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), joining the growing ranks of politicians seeking an alternative political platform.
“My decision is simple. The PDP has been hijacked. It’s more honourable to leave than remain in a carcass,” he wrote.
Momodu, who joined the PDP in 2021, expressed gratitude to the party’s grassroots supporters, even as his defection signals further fragmentation within Nigeria’s main opposition party.
As the 2027 elections approach, the PDP faces the uphill task of regaining internal cohesion, while contending with defections and challenges to its leadership from within and outside the party.
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