The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Benue governor’

  • PDP welcomes Benue governor

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has welcomed Benue State Governor, Dr Samuel Ortom back to its fold and urged all its members in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to return to the party.

    In a statement, spokesman of the PDP Kola Ologbondiyan, the party commended Ortom for “showing patriotic courage and boldness” in the face of brazen dictatorship.

    Tye statement said: “The return of the Governor to PDP confirms the fact that President Muhammadu Buhari’s led-administration and the APC do not have the welfare of Nigerians at heart.

    “Painfully, Nigerians are being slaughtered in Benue, Taraba, Plateau,  kaduna, Zamfara, Sokoto, nearly on daily basis”.

    It hailed the governor for standing firm by the people of Benue State and refusing to mortgage their welfare to a government that has consistently demonstrated cluelessness.

    “We urge the governor to be rest assured that he will be accorded his dues and rights as a member of the PDP.

    National Publicity Secretary of the APC Bolaji Abdullahi in a statement said:   “The governor had left the meeting (with the national chairman), saying he was satisfied with the assurances given by party leaders. We are still working on giving effect to the resolutions from the meeting. Therefore, we are somewhat surprised by Governor Ortom’s decision.

    “The Party reiterates its earlier position that it respects the rights of every citizen to choose their political affiliation but expresses hopes that those who have left the party will rescind their decisions.

    “Even with this development, we don’t think it is too late for reconciliation. We have to continue to talk. As long as people keep their minds open and have the courage to put the real issues on the table, reconciliation is still possible.

    “The Party once again call on members across the country to remain calm as the party leadership continues to work hard to position the party strongly for the next general elections.”

  • Benue first lady wants Tor Tiv to reduce bride-price

    Benue first lady wants Tor Tiv to reduce bride-price

    Wife of the Benue Governor, Mrs Eunice Ortom, has appealed to Tor Tiv-elect, Prof. James Ayatse, to review bride-prices in Tiv land, to enable young men to get married “when due”.

    Ortom made the appeal on Tuesday when she paid a courtesy visit to the Tor Tiv-elect in Makurdi.

    She decried the high demands made of young men seeking to marry Tiv daughters, and described the situation as “very discouraging”.

    “Such high demands discourage many bachelors from even attempting to get married; the result is that many young girls cannot find husbands,” she said.

    The governor’s wife argued that such exorbitant charges were not part of Tiv culture.

    “Such charges are imported; our traditional rulers should discard them,” she said.

    While noting that bride-price payment was sacrosanct in every marriage, she cautioned parents against selling their daughters “especially since the relationship between in-laws remains long after such marriage rites”.

    She regretted that many young men now preferred to elope with their loved ones owing to such huge monetary demands, and stressed the need to make the process affordable so as to restore the sanctity of the marriage institution.

    Ortom pledged her support to the new monarch, saying that his emergence was an act of God that would bring unity to the Tiv nation.

    Responding, the traditional ruler promised to work toward a united Tiv nation and promised to be truthful, transparent and promote the fear of God at all times.

    He also promised to uphold valuable cultural practices and repeal negative ones.

    Ayatse decried the politics of rancour and acrimony in Tiv land and promised to reconcile Tiv sons and daughters toward building a united front.

  • ‘Benue governor was nominated APC candidate’

    ‘Benue governor was nominated APC candidate’

    The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, has adjourned till September 7 for preliminary objection and final addresses by parties.

    Ruling yesterday, the Chairman, Justice Elizabeth Karatu, said the parties had been given enough time to submit their addresses.

    The adjournment happened after the second respondent, the All Progressives Congress (APC), closed its case. The first respondent and petitioner, Governor Samuel Ortom and Prince Terhemen Tarzoor, the PDP governorship candidate, closed their cases on Wednesday.

    At the resumed sitting yesterday, the second respondent submitted an affidavit citation deposed to by Baba Dala, a resolution of party leaders, APC constitution, application for a waiver, letter of a waiver granted, receipt of the proceeding at the Federal High Court Abuja, receipt of certification of the Federal High Court, Abuja, concurrent originating summon of the suit of the Federal High Court, Makurdi, receipt of proceedings and record of proceedings at the same High  Court.

    Dala, who appeared as a witness, submitted and adopted the document he deposed to, saying since the PDP had filed the same suit at the Federal High Court, Makurdi claiming the same facts and reliefs, it was abnormal for the same suit to be brought before the tribunal.

    The witness admitted that the leadership of the party granted a waiver to the first respondent, which permitted him to qualify for the governorship election.

    The petitioner’s counsel, Adebayo Adenipekun, SAN, raised objection to the second respondent’s counsel, Sebastine Hon, SAN, to cross-examine the witness.

    The objection was, however, overruled by the tribunal after the counsel argued, citing authorities on the legality of cross-examining the witness and the jurisdiction of the tribunal to entertain the case.

    The tribunal insisted that it would not depart from its earlier position of looking at the case on its merit and concluded that the issue of jurisdiction would be put to rest at the final judgment.

  • ‘Why we are backing Ortom for Benue governor’

    ‘Why we are backing Ortom for Benue governor’

    What do you think the delegates should consider when voting?

    In a true democratic setting, representatives only do what majority of the people feel is the best for them, which is why when it comes to the opportunity for the majority to also vote, they determine the final outcome. We need a selfless leader that can lead courageously, believing in God and in the people that together we can rise from our shambles to become a great investment destination. Though many qualified candidates have emerged for the governorship race, but after a painstaking investigation and critical examination, the Ortom Support Group in Lagos has concluded that Chief Samuel Ortom, the current Minister of State, Industry, Trade and Investment, and the immediate past Supervising Minister of Aviation, is the best man for the job. This is based on his track records.

    What are the attributes that make Ortom stand out?

    Governance is about the well-being of the people. Dr. Ortom has demonstrated this in his administrative responsibilities right from when he was the Chairman of Guma Local Government. He took the welfare of his workers very seriously, making sure that they were promptly paid. This earned him an award as the best Local Government Chairman in his time. He has also shown that he is humane in his relationship with people. He cares for the down-trodden, the poor and vulnerable groups. He has consistently shown a selfless lifestyle by giving away his wealth to meet the needs of others. He does not believe in self aggrandizement to the neglect of others, which is the order of today’s politics where people believe that it is all about endless accumulation of wealth, rather than service to the people.

    Ortom is a man of the people of all social classes. He does not discriminate against anyone on the basis of clannish extraction, ethnicity, religion, gender and social placement. He is truly a man of the people who opens his doors to everyone, and no one comes to Dr. Ortom and goes home disappointed.

    How convinced are you about his pedigree?

    There are too many testimonies of his generous assistance to those who come to him with various needs. The purpose for which he set up Oracle Business Limited Foundation is to fill the gaps in alleviating human predicament in various ways, such as offering free medical services to the poor and vulnerable groups, employment opportunities, scholarship assistance, encouragement of agricultural productivity, empowering the less privileged, etc. Very fundamentally, he has enjoyed God’s favour, which has seen and elevated him to the pinnacle of political power. Besides, by dint of hard work, humility, love and the fear of God, he has established and consolidated a network of political infrastructure and relationships and alliances that are active throughout Benue State and Nigeria. There is no doubt that, as a matter of necessity, we need a person of such pedigree to be our number one citizen.