I am still repeating that, whatever we did, we have submitted our report to NEC. So it is very wrong for anyone to insinuate that we have thrown the presidential ticket open. He continued: “As the chairman of the committee, we did not say that. There were others who were of the opinion that it should be thrown open for the best candidate who will be able to deliver good governance and make Nigerians feel like human beings again.” While some said it should go to the Northern part of the country. He explained that, “As far as the committee was concerned, there were arguments that the presidential candidate should go to the South. It is NEC that has the final authority on the zoning of positions.” He maintained that “The committee will present the report to NEC. Where did I say that the committee has thrown open the presidential ticket? I did inform the media yesterday (Tuesday, April 5, 2022) that the committee has adopted a unanimous position to be presented to the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party. The governor who frowned at the caption on the news bar while the interview lasted quipped: “I want to clear the insinuation that the zoning committee has thrown open the presidential ticket. The governor who bared his mind Wednesday, April 6th, 2022 while appearing on the ‘Morning Show’ an AriseTV prime time programme querried why those who were not part of the meeting of the committee would want to “force words into the committee’s mouth.” He insisted that the committee was being quoted on what it did not say. ZONING: WE DID NOT THROW OPEN PRESIDENTIAL TICKET, ORTOMīenue State Governor and Chairman, Zoning Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Samuel Ortom has dismissed insinuations in the media that the committee has thrown the presidential ticket of the party open. Other who had shown interest are the Publisher of Ovation magazine, Dele Momodu, renowned pharmacist Sam Ohuabunwa and former Chairman/CEO of FSB International Bank PLC, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen. Others are former Governors Peter Obi of Anambra State, Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State, former Senate President Pius Anyim and Bukola Saraki. They include former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Governors Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State and Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State. While the party is yet to officially announce its stand on the presidential ticket, over 10 members have indicated interest in the ticket. In the end, the major goal of the PDP is to bring the economy and security situation of the country back to normalcy, the statement said. And like I said, NEC is the final authority on deciding where this position will be zoned to,” he said.

“As the chairman of the committee, we did not say that. “As far as the committee was concerned, there were arguments that the presidential candidate should go to the South. It is NEC that has the final authority on the zoning of positions. “The committee will present the report to NEC. Mr Ortom, however, did not also mention it when he addressed journalists after the committee’s meeting on Tuesday. The governor’s comments come barely 24 hours after some members of the panel disclosed to journalists that the committee unanimously decided to open the ticket. The statement did not, however, disclose what the panel recommended. The governor said this in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Nathaniel Ikyur, on Wednesday. Mr Ortom said the committee only adopted a unanimous position to be presented to the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party. Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has dismissed reports that the zoning committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), decided that the party’s presidential ticket should be thrown open.

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