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Tag: Samuel Ortom

  • 2019 poll: I’m not afraid of federal might, says Ortom

    Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has declared that he is not afraid of the proverbial federal might in his 2019 re-election bid, saying that he will continue to defend his people, come what may.

    Ortom, who spoke with journalists in Abuja on Monday, however said the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) should be held responsible if anything untoward happened to him.

    The governor accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of persecuting him since he defected from the governing APC to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    “If I die today, the Federal Government should be held responsible because they are planning to eliminate me. I am not going to stop. I will continue to defend my people.

    Read Also:Ortom to security agents: Fish out brains behind Tiv, Jukun clash

    “I know that I am being persecuted because the cabal don’t like me. They do all kind of things. EFCC has been chasing me and my staff for the past 10 months. And I have not done anything wrong that they have been chasing me all over the place. Persecution is so much; there are threats on my life”.

    According to him, overbearing influence of political godfathers in the APC was responsible for his inability to pay pensions and salary arrears of workers before January 2018, saying however that he has been able to offset the arrears the moment he got the godfathers off his back.

    He took a jibe at President Muhammadu Buhari over the suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, saying the President might “not be aware” of the development.

    The governor said, “Is it the first time that Mr. President is not aware of something. When we were attacked and he directed the IGP to relocate to Benue State, but the man went to Nasarawa. And when the President came, we confronted him, he said was not aware. And there are many other things which Mr. President has not been aware of that you know.

    “Even when the CJN was to be arraigned, was Mr. President aware? We were told by the Vice President, that Mr. President was not aware. Did you not hear him? Or did you not read it on the pages of newspapers?

    “So, maybe this one too, he is not aware. Because I have not met him one-on-one. I want to assume that he may not be aware. I am not holding brief for him. So, you journalists too can help us get him to be aware.

    “That is the challenge we have. But you heard our mother of the nation; Mrs. Aisha Buhari came out crying that the husband is no longer ruling. That it is the cabal. And we men should talk. If I undress now, you will see that I am a man.

    “So we must talk. That is the point I am making. I am doing it in support of our mother, the First Lady. It is a clarion call that all of us should stand up and chase that cabal away because we did not elect any cabal in that Villa.”

     

  • Ortom swears-in six acting LG chairmen

    Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue on Tuesday in Makurdi swore in Acting Chairmen for six local governments, following the suspension of the affected area’s chairmen by the State House of Assembly.

    The News Agency of Nigeria, reports that the local government bosses were suspended by the legislators on Monday, Jan. 21, on the request of Ortom.

    Ortom, in a letter transmitted to the legislators, had accused the local chairmen of “gross misconduct”. Their suspension is for an initial period of three months.

    In a brief speech at the ceremony, Ortom cautioned the acting chairmen against sharing government monies to “elders in their domains”.

    Read Also: Ortom to security agents: Fish out brains behind Tiv, Jukun clash

    “The era of sharing government money to elders is now over; government money is meant to touch the lives of the people positively.

    “Be prudent in handling local government finances; do not embezzle the council’s funds, money is not everything, do not be in a hurry to grab it.

    “If you grab government money, you will get into trouble. The Bible says money is the root of all evil. Wait patiently for God’s appointed time for you to make genuine money and not ill-gotten wealth,” he warned.

    He also admonished Benue residents to eschew violence, especially during and after the forthcoming polls and urged the chairmen to ensure absolute peace in their respective areas.

    Responding on behalf of her colleagues, the acting chairman of Makurdi Local Government, Mrs. Lym Goon, appreciated Ortom for the appointments, and promised to do everything possible to make him proud.

    She also promised to work toward the success of the PDP in the forthcoming general elections.

  • Rigging will not be allowed in Benue – Ortom

    Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has assured residents of the state that there would be no room for rigging and manipulation of votes in the forthcoming elections.

    Ortom gave the assurance on Saturday in Vandeikya Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.

    He dispelled fears that the election would be rigged, noting that the people would guard their votes jealously to forestall rigging.

    “We are not going to allow that to happen in Benue. We will certainly leave nothing to chance.

    He promised not to disappoint the people if voted back to office, stressing that he would deliver on his mandates.

    “I want to implore you to vote en masse for all candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Do not select any of them to vote for no matter the circumstances,” he said.

    Read Also: Why I defected to PDP – Ortom

    Also, former governor of the state, Gabriel Suswam, alleged neglect of the Tiv people whom he described as the fourth largest tribe in the country, in political appointments.

    The State Chairman of the party, Mr John Ngbede, also solicited votes for candidates of the PDP in the elections and urged them to guard their votes to avoid rigging.

    A political chieftain in Benue North East, Mr Demenongo Unom, urged the people to vote for Ortom as a reward for defending the Benue people.

    NAN

  • Ortom urges traditional rulers to assist on security

    Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue has urged traditional rulers to join hands with his administration to maintain peace and security in the state.

    Ortom made the call on Tuesday in Makurdi during a 2-day orientation workshop organised by the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

    The governor called on them to maintain an `eagle eye’ on security issues because the state belonged to all of them.

    He also said there was no land for grazing in Benue, emphasizing that the Anti-Open Grazing Law 2017 was still in effect across the state.

    He urged them to report defaulters to the law enforcement agencies for appropriate action.

    ”Any cattle seen roaming in the state will be impounded and their owners will be prosecuted after paying the recommended fine.

    ”Henceforth, violators of the law will be prosecuted after paying the recommended fines against what usually happens in the past where the herders only pay fines for the impounded cattle and they were released to them,” he said.

    Read Also: Ortom launches campaign against beef consumption

    He also admonished the traditional rulers to caution their subjects, especially the youths against indulging in thuggery especially during the polls.

    The Special Adviser to the governor on Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Jerome Shimbe, commended the governor for expanding and upgrading the traditional institution in the state.

    Shimbe further appreciated Ortom for his commitment to welfare of traditional rulers, stressing that he would also ensure that their welfare remained his topmost priority.

    The Chairman, Benue Council of Traditional Rulers, Prof. James Ayatse, urged participants at the workshop to support government in its efforts to ensure security in the state.

    NAN

  • Boat mishap: Ortom sympathizes with victims

    Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has sympathized with families of victims of the boat mishap at the Buruku crossing point of River Katsina-Ala.

    Eye witnesses said the boat which left logo about 8pm on Wednesday capsized at the Buruku side of the river, drowning over 20 passengers.

    Governor Ortom who was represented by Secretary to the State Government, Professor Anthony Ijohor, SAN, visited the scene of the incident accompanied by Chairmen of Buruku and Logo local government areas, some commissioners and special advisers.

    He described the boat mishap as unfortunate and painful, stressing that a similar incident which claimed seventeen lives occurred at the same point five years ago.

    The Governor called on the Federal Government to construct a bridge across the Buruku axis of River Katsina-Ala in order to prevent the loss of more lives.

    Read Also: Ortom emerges Benue PDP guber candidate

    “His Excellency, Governor Samuel Ortom and his Deputy Engineer Benson Abounu are deeply saddened by this unfortunate incident, and the Government of Benue State will ensure that the victims are given the necessary support. Our appeal is that the Federal Government should construct a bridge here at the Buruku crossing point of River Katsina-Ala to put an end to the frequent loss of lives”, Professor Ijohor stated.

    He directed that the bodies which had so far been recovered be deposited at the morgue of General Hospital Buruku while government would assist in the burial.

    Mue Ter Ichongu, Chief Terngu Iorhuna from Logo who spoke on behalf of the affected communities, thanked Governor Ortom for his prompt response, saying the people of the area were consoled by his visit.

    In an interview, Chairman of Benue Motorcycle Association, Ugonduzua branch which lost 17 members in the incident, Mr. Felix Ikyaajime, said they were heading for a burial in Buruku when the boat capsized.

    At the time of this report, three corpses and 18 motorcycles were recovered by the rescue team while the search for others missing in the boat mishap was still in progress.

  • Ortom emerges Benue PDP guber candidate

    Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue has emerged as the 2019 governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Ortom defeated other three contestants; John Tondo, Paul Orhii and Felix Atume at the primary election.

    The Chairman, PDP Electoral Panel for the state, Hajia Zainab Maina announced that Ortom scored 2,210 votes to emerge winner, while Tondo got 475 votes and Atume and Orhii polled 44 and 10 votes respectively.

    No invalid votes were recorded during the election.

    Read Also: Air Force Jets destroys Boko Haram meeting venue

    According to her, the election is free, fair, peaceful and conducted in accordance with the party’s constitution.

    In his acceptance speech, Ortom commended the delegates for re-electing him as the party candidate, adding that he would ensure unity among party members for the progress of PDP.

    He promised to carry all aspirants along for growth and development of the state for the future generations to benefit.

    Ortom promised to carry all stakeholders along in tackling insecurity in the state in order to ensure safety of lives and property.

    He also urged those who lost in the contest to support the party candidates so as to ensure victory in the 2019 general elections.

  • Group accuses Benue APC of plans to cause mayhem

    The Benue Liberation Front has accused a leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue state of plans to cause mayhem.

    Coordinator of the group, Mr Yunum Tyosor, made the allegation in a statement on Wednesday.

    Tyosor, who did not disclose the APC leader, also accused the Inspector General of Police of being part of the plan to cause trouble in the state.

    The statement reads: “There is a thick plot hatched by the leader of All Progressives Congress, APC in Benue State and the Inspector General of Police to cause mayhem in the state.

    “According to our sources, the said APC leader has been holding clandestine meetings with the Police IG to trigger crisis in Benue that can lead to the dissolution of the current democratic structures in the state. This is a desperate last gasp by enemies of the state who have failed in all their previous attempts to remove Governor Samuel Ortom from office.

    “We understand that the APC leader and his group have been heavily mobilized by the Abuja cabal with huge sums of money to prosecute the plot.

    “Part of the evil agenda is to eliminate key members of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Benue State before next year’s elections. Our sources further confirmed that the group has already drawn a list of those targeted for elimination.”

    Read Also: 2019: APC approves mode of primaries for states, FCT

    The group called on security agencies to move urgently and decisively to curtail any act capable of breaching the peace in Benue State.

    “We urge President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately sack the Inspector General of Police and replace him with a non-partisan professional who has the capacity to handle the nation’s security. We believe that the Nigerian Police Force has several capable hands to redeem its reputation from the hands of the present failure of IGP who is clearly acting the script of his twin sponsors – Miyetti Allah and APC.

    “We urge security operatives to place the leader of APC in Benue State on close watch and not hesitate to arrest him for questioning.

    “We call on security personnel to urgently dislodge the heavily armed thugs the APC leader has camped near his house at Judges Quarters, Makurdi. Those are the thugs he plans to use to unleash terror on Benue people during next year’s elections.

    “We once again caution political actors who have ulterior motives to shelve such intentions and work for the development of the state.

    “We will resist any attempt to throw Benue into avoidable crisis by any individual or group. Our people have known no peace since the beginning of the year owing to the invasion and killing of innocent persons by armed herdsmen. They will therefore not want to go through the trauma of political unrest,” the statement added.

     

  • Benue now relatively secured, peaceful – Ortom

    Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue said on Saturday that the state was now relatively peaceful since the deployment of troops in various operations to tackle the menace of armed banditry and suspected killer herdsmen.

    Ortom, however, pleaded with the military not to leave in spite of the successes recorded.

    The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Mr Benson Abounu spoke at the ground breaking ceremony for the construction of over 300 housing units under the Nigerian Army post-service housing scheme at Otukpo.

    He urged the Army not to demobilise its `Operation Whirl Stroke’ that has helped to bring about peace to the state.

    On the housing project, Ortom commended the army for siting the project in Otukpo, the first of such scheme to be located outside any state capital.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the houses, expected to be delivered in 12 months, are being constructed under Public Private Partnership arrangement.

    Earlier, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai had assured that the army in partnership with other security agencies would continue to tackle all security challenges in the state.

    Buratai stressed that as the “food basket” of the nation, it was imperative that there should be security and peace in Benue.

     

    Read also:Ortom: I’m being persecuted for grazing law

     

    He said the houses would be allocated to military personnel and civilians on 50-50 basis, unlike the previous arrangement of 70 to 30.

    The army chief had earlier at the palace of Och’ Idoma, Dr Elias Obekpa, informed the monarch that the army was constructing a barrack in Otukpo as part of efforts to ensure security in the town and its environs.

    He said under the Nigerian army “Order of Battle” 2016, President Muhammadu Buhari gave the approval for the establishment of the barrack.

    The army chief noted that Idoma sons and daughters had contributed to the development of the military through their enlistment into the Armed Forces.

    Responding, the Och’ Idoma, who was represented by Chief John Ochayi, Ad’ Ohimini, commended the army for the establishment of the barrack.

    He said the formation, when completed, would help in addressing security challenges in the area, noting that there had been long cordial relationship between the army and Idoma people.

  • 560 persons killed in Benue since January – Ortom

    Benue State Governor Samuel  Ortom  has said  more than 560 people have been killed by Fulani herdsmen militia while half of Gwer West, Makurdi, Guma, Logo and Kwande local government areas have been sacked by the attackers since January, 2018.

    He also stated that his first tenure was characterized by several challenges including lack of funds, natural disasters and insecurity which he was gradually overcoming.

    Speaking at residence of the former senate president Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, in Gboko, while addressing major PDP stakeholders from Tarka, Buruku and Gboko local government areas, Governor Ortom added that “In spite of the challenges, he recorded milestones in the health, agriculture, education and rural development sectors, adding that he would do more if elected.

    He said unfortunately, the attackers have found collaborators in some of the leaders in the state who have vowed to remove him from office by all means.

    The Governor stressed that the attacks on several communities across the state were beyond grazing but rather the continuation of the 1804 conquest and the occupation agenda of Jihadists.

    Read Also: I’ll rather lose than win through violence – Ortom

    He appealed to other aspirants to eschew violence as they solicit the mandate of the people, pointing out that peace should be the ultimate desire of everyone.

    Responding, elders of Jemgbah comprising Tarka, Gboko and Tarka, assured the Governor of his re-election.

    He appealed to other aspirants to eschew violence as they solicit the mandate of the people, pointing out that peace should be the ultimate desire of everyone.

  • 2019: Ortom rejects violence

    Governor Samuel Ortom has reiterated  the need for politicians in the state to eschew violence in the built up to next year’s general elections.

    He stated this on Thursday at St. Vincent De Paul Quasi Parish, Alliade during a funeral mass for the late Nobel Emmanuel Ayargwer.

    The Governor stated that he would rather lose than win the forthcoming election by violence, noting that it was unnecessary to spill blood for any office because power belonged to God who gives it to whoever He wills.

    He said the people of the state were resolved on the implementation of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law 2017 stressing that Benue people were not against any group but were against the destruction of their crops by herders, hence the need for ranching.

    While acknowledging the support of the church to sustain peace in the state, Governor Ortom requested more prayers for continued peace as the 2019 elections approaches.

    Read Also: Ortom is Benue PDP leader

    He prayed God to grant the deceased who he said lived a worthy life from the numerous testimonies about him, eternal rest and the bereaved family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

    Younger brother of the deceased and former state deputy chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Dr. Tsetim Ayargwer, expressed appreciation to Governor Ortom, Knights of St. Johns and political associates for their support in the family’s time of grief.

    Parish Priest of St. Vincent De Paul Quasi Parish Aliade, Reverend Fr. Alexander Iorhuna, enjoined Christians to be true apostles of Christ by living according to His teachings in order to make heaven after death