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Tag: Samuel Ortom

  • Court halts Ortom’s impeachment

    A Makurdi High Court  presided by Justice Theresa Igoche, has retrained the eight suspended members of the Benue State House of Assembly from proceeding with the impeachment process they initiated on the Governor of Benue state, Samuel Ortom.

    The judge also restrained them from sitting and upheld their suspension pending the determination of the Motion on Notice.

    “I agree with the Senior Advocate of Nigeria that the applicants have made out a case for the grant of orders sought therein,” She stressed.

    “The order also restrains the Chief Judge of Benue state from receiving or acting on any process or request, issued pursuant to the purported sitting, proceedings and resolutions of 30th July, 2018 aimed at or commenced for the purpose of removing the Governor of the State pending the determination of the Motion on Notice.”

    Justice Igoche upheld the subsisting order that was earlier given by Justice Adam Onum, Chief Judge of the state restraining the former speaker, Terkimbi Ikyange, and other former principal officers from parading as same and ordered the security agencies to vacate the premises of the Benue State house of Assembly.

    Responding, State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Michael Gusa, applauded the ruling saying as a law abiding government, they will always seek redress in the law courts.

    Also speaking, Sebastian Hon, SAN, who appeared on behalf of the Plaintiffs alongside 30 lawyers described the ruling as sound and promised to abide by the orders of the court to ensure service o and continue with the case.

    Speaker of the Assembly, Honourable Titus Uba, said with the order, they expect the  police and other security agencies to  vacate the premises and stop interfering in their legislative business maintaining that even the President of Country has denied link to the continued occupation of the Assembly complex.

    The applicants had on the 31st of July, approached the Court, seeking eight reliefs amongst which were interim order restraining the eight members from sitting, proceeding and or acting in furtherance to the impeachment and the Chief Judge from acting on their request.

  • Buhari not behind moves to remove Ortom – Presidency

    The Presidency on Tuesday denied the allegation that President Muhammadu Buhari is behind moves by some Benue State lawmakers towards unseating the state governor, Samuel Ortom.

    A statement by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, said that President Buhari will never be part of any unconditionally act.

    He said “Even while attending the ECOWAS/ECCAS Summit in Togo, strident attempts were being made to drag President Muhammadu Buhari into the unfolding drama between the executive and the legislature in Benue State.

    “Statements have been issued by different interest groups, insinuating that the President may have a hand in the development in Benue.

    “This is paranoia at its worst, coming from people who have wittingly positioned themselves against the clean-up of the country, and the way we do things. They prefer business as usual.

    “President Buhari will never be part of any unconstitutional act, and any attempt to link him with the inglorious past, when minority number of lawmakers impeached governors, will not stick.

    “It will simply be like water off the duck’s back. Those with open minds know this, but those who cavil would rather source everything untoward to the President. It is murky ground in which they are now marooned, as fallout of their resistance to change in the country.

    According to him, they only preach separation of powers and true federalism whenever it suits them, while also calling on the President to interfere brazenly in affairs at state level.

    President Buhari, he said, will always stand by all that is noble and fair, and will reject attempts to drag him into infamy.

    “People who stoke fires by deliberate acts of omission or commission, and then summon the President to come and put it out will find that this President will be guided by the Constitution at all times, no matter the attempt to entangle him in unwarranted controversies.” he said

  • Ortom’s exit from APC a blessing to us – Oshiomhole

    Says Governor making political capital on the graves of Benue people

     

    National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole said Friday that Benue State that the exit of Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom from the party was a blessing in disguise to the APC, saying his three and half years as governor in the stage was a waste as he had no single project to show for the mandate given to him by the party.

    Addressing a news conference at the party secretariat, Comrade Oshiomhole said even though the party leadership had attempted to wade into the conflict between the governor and leaders of the party in Benue State, he could not successfully defend the weighty allegation leveled against him by the leaders of the party in the state.

    He said that at the instance of the Governor, the National leadership of the party had arranged another meeting to bring north Gov. Ortom and party leaders in the state to a round table with the meeting scheduled to hold on Wednesday, July 24 only for the governor to turn governance to “nollywood”.

    Oshiomhole said “Within the last 48 hours we have watched the unfolding events in Benue State particularly the decision of Gov, Ortom to leave the party. Ordinarily, we would not have responded having already responded to the decision by the Publicity Secretary.

    “As you all recall, Gov. Ortom had said that the APC in Benue State gave him red card to leave our party and that they will not field him in the governorship election in 2018 and that because the door had been shut against him, he had no choice than to leave. Without going into investigations, we invited him to speak to us on the issues and we also invited our party leaders in Benue State to also brief us on what the issues were.

    “From the point of view of our leaders in Benue State, their position was clear that field Gov. Ortom On APC platform in 2019 can only lead to electoral defeat for a number of reasons.

    “They reminded us that inspite of the allocation accruing to Benue State, the bail our fund amount to over N20 billion and the huge sums of money collected from the Paris club refund, he was not paying salaries to Benue workers, including teachers, local government employees and civil servants. He owes some of the as much as 12months salaries.

    “So, the entire economy of Benue State that survives on civil servants salaries is to that effect compromised. What is not obvious is that those who live on rents paid by civil servants cannot collect their rents with which to survive, thereby having effect on the commercial live of the people. This explains a vicious circle of poverty in Benue State that has been deepened under Gov. Ortom.

    Read Also: Ortom appoints BIRS chairman

    “The second is that Gov. Ortom has complicated, by his own actions, and poor judgment the security situation in the state. They draw our attention to the fact that some of those that have been arrested as a result of the killings are people who have been associated with him, including people in his employment, especially a guy known to have been involved in Boko Haram whom he recruited to manage what they called forest guard.

    “These people have been arrested and are in police custody. If an appointee of a Governor is involved in a heinous crime, including killing that will be enough for a governor to worry about. Instead, he played up the ethnic dimension of criminality, even though some of those killed were killed not by Muslims, but Christian of Benue State origin, including those he employed.

    “These people have been in police custody, so, his attempt to explain away criminality by playing the ethnic card is unhelpful to what he should as governor to manage the situation better. After all, those in Benue State have always been there and his predecessors, including Suswam had found ways to manage these diversities. So, Ortom’s incapacity to manage it and even seek to make political capital of the death of Benue people is unfortunate.

    “It is important that Nigerians understand that the condemnable killings of two Reverend Fathers and some Christians in a church, those who have confessed to these crimes include people who have worked with Gov. Ortom an these killings were done few weeks after one of them was extremely critical during his sermon about the governance of the state and the style of governance of the Governor.

    “His price obviously was to pay with his dear life and not a few thought that the governor would celebrate that. I am not about to suggest that Gov, Ortom might have asked anybody to go and kill anyone, but that some of those involved in these killings are Benue State originated are Christians.

    “That is not to deny that some herdsmen have also been involved in the killings. But the responsibility of any government is not to seek to manipulate this, but to confront it.

    “There was also the fact that for three and half years that he has been in office, he cannot point to any concrete project that he has carried out. He cannot point to any major project that has been completed.

    “When we asked him these questions and allegations that why the Vice President and the President has visited other states to Commission projects, in Benue, they have only paid condolence visit. It is okay to lament the absence of federal presence, but what is the excuse for the absence of state projects in the state.

    “His argument is that he has diverted a lot of the resources to security issue. That raises the issue. Can you be spending N22 billion on security and the people are increasingly insecure? So if you accept that he spent money on security, it meant that he realizes that he has a responsibility to secure life and not pass the bulk.

    “So, I felt scandalized watching him saying he had to leave the APC because he did not feel secure. To be honest, I am relieved as National Chairman and the leadership of our party in Benue State are relieved that he has returned to where he came from.

    “So, we now have a clean platform to search for a credible Benue citizen that can provide the kind of leadership that the Benue State deserve and not one who seek to make political capital out of human graves and celebrating the death of his own people.

    “As a party, we condemn any life that has been wasted by criminals and we accept that government responsibility is to protect live and property. But I condemn anyone of us who seek to make political capital out of these killings because we have shared responsibility to protect their lives regardless of their religion or location. So, we are re lived that Ortom has returned.

    “When you look at it, he got our ticket on a platter of gold because he was never a participant in the building process of the party. He became a candidate by accident. The lesson to learn is that never again should people become candidates by accident.”

    On the allegation that he was being victimized for refusing to share state resources with the party leaders in the state, Oshiomhole said “If a governor confessed that he shared government money to party leaders, is that the reasons he will be re-elected?

    “Then if he has shared the government money with party leaders then the party leaders should try to keep in in office by guarantee him the ticket since he shared the money with them. If on the other hand he claimed that he refused to share the money, good therefore what have you done with the money?

    “You couldn’t pay the workers salaries with the money you refused to share, have you built more roads for the people of Benue state? What have you accomplished with this bailout fund and the Paris fund?

    “So let me assure that what I do promised, and please mark my word each time I speak, those negotiable and verifiable grievances we would address. And I said we won’t deny somebody ticket on account of a conflict between him and any other person if he is at home with his people, even yesterday I emphasized that.

    “When people say automatic ticket, does it guarantee automatic victory when people are against you? I said so. Because we didn’t give you departure ticket, so how are we going to gice you a return ticket?

    “So, I couldn’t assure gov Ortom that we will overrule the posution of our members and leaders in Benue state that come 2019 we will give him ticket. I wanted to simply cross chect with him in the allegations made against him and he was to come by Wednesday that is why he organised that drama.

    “And that tells you the quality of reasoning, with all due respect to Governor Ortom, how can you reduce governance to Nollywood, saying hen I wanted to go to Abuja to meet with the National Working Committee but my people have blocked the road that I will not go. When has it become a case that when a governor want to travel it is on the radio that he is travelling and this is the purpose.”

  • Defections, indication opposition is set to rescue Nigeria – Okowa

    Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa has said the gale of defections from the ruling All Progressive Congress to the opposition PDP is an indication that the party is prepared to rescue Nigeria from the present state of affairs.

    He welcomed the defection of Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom and All Progressive Congress (APC) lawmakers to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP),

    In a statement in Asaba, on Thursday, by his Chief Press Secretary, Charles Aniagwu, Gov. Okowa congratulated the National Chairman and leadership of the PDP for the proactive steps taken so far in repositioning the party.

    According to the Governor: “I congratulate members and leaders of the PDP on the defections and abandonment of the APC by the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom and the members of the National Assembly.

    “The defections have clearly shown to the entire world that the APC lack the capacity to manage a political party, and indeed a government and this explains why the people now look up to the PDP to rescue the country and put it on the path of good governance for our people.

    Governor Okowa commended the defectors for the courage they have exhibited in abandoning “the sinking ship.”  He stressed that the defections signify a vote of no confidence in the APC-led government and that the 2019 election will be a referendum of how the APC shattered the expectations of Nigerians.

    Read Also: Okowa denies backing Atiku’s Presidential ambition

    He added: “The decision of a significant number of members of both the Senate and the House of Representatives to leave the APC and decamp into the PDP clearly indicates that there is hope that the country will be rescued from the misrule of the APC government.

    The Governor congratulated the PDP for positioning itself as a suitable alternative for the defectors. He emphasized that the choice of the PDP as a preferred destination for them is an affirmation of the kind of leadership the national chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus has provided since assuming office.

    Okowa further encouraged other Governors, lawmakers to consider joining the PDP as the party is set on a mission to rescue Nigeria.

     

  • PDP welcomes Ortom, urges others to return

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

    Ortom had on Wednesday announced his defection from the APC to the PDP.

    In a statement on Wednesday by the spokesman of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party commended Governor 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.

    “They have continually offered flimsy excuses over the mindless killings that have caused untold sorrows across the country, particularly, Benue State.

    “PDP recalls that the Buhari-led federal government has failed in its basic responsibility of protecting live, property and territorial integrity of our nation.

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

    Read Also: Ortom finally dumps APC for PDP

    The party accused the APC-led administration of continually pleading for accommodation of persons who have been repeatedly fingered in killings in the Benue valley rather than take decisive and concrete actions to preserve lives of Nigerians.

    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.

    “The return of the Governor Ortom to our party, which is a reflection of his people’s desires, further confirms the rejection of the Buhari -led APC administration by Nigerians.

    “It also buttresses the fact that PDP remains the viable platform for all Nigerians that are desirous of rescuing our nation from the gross misgovernance and authoritarianism exhibited by the APC-led administration”, the statement added.

  • Cross River youths protest against Ayade joining APC

    The Cross River State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday stormed the national secretariat of the party to protest against the alleged plan defection of the state governor, Prof. Ben Ayade to the party, saying there was no vacancy for the Governor.

    The protesters were however stopped from successful carrying out their protest by security personnel and some staff of the APC secretariat, saying while nobody protested against Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom leaving the party, they were protesting against another governor joining the party.

    The protesting APC youths from Cross Rivers state said there were plans by the governor to join the party, adding that Gov. Ayade wants t9 join the APC because he has been rejected by his own party for failing to deliver on his campaign promises.

    Read Also: Ayade vows to rid Cross River of crimes, seeks FG’s support

    Spokesperson of the group. Sankara Unung told journalists that party stakeholders in state are not comfortable with the antics of the governor and as such is kicking against his proposed entry.

    He said “Ayade is a man with grand scale skimming techniques. APC does not have any space for him and his ilk. For a man whose party has roundly and unprecedented rejected for his very poor and abysmal performance, APC cannot be and should never be his safe heaven.

    “Ayade is running Cross River State like a fiefdom where he designated his younger brother as the co-governor with state powers. A man who is aiding and abating corruption using his direct sibling as proxy should not be allowed to identify with a party with a decent pedigree like our great party, the APC.”

    According to the group, the governor always laying claim to phantom projects which he uses to deceive the people, adding that with the level of poverty and suffering of the people, Ayade does not deserve to be given a space in APC

  • Photo: Ortom displays resignation letter

    Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has been pictured displaying his resignation letter on Wednesday at the Government house Makurdi.

    The governor formally announced his decision to dump the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Read Also: Ortom finally dumps APC for PDP

    He said he had forwarded his letter of resignation from APC to the ward chairman in Benue State.

    He also said the ward chairman was “ready to join” him in PDP.

  • No going back on my APC exit – Ortom

    Brands party one man show in Benue

    Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has declared that he is leaving the  All Progressives Congress (APC)  for good.

    He told members of OnTiv Professionals Association in Abuja that he would not return to the party for any reason.

    Ortom spoke a few hours after emerging from a peace meeting with the APC national chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole where he said he had not dumped the party  and  had expressed hope of a peaceful resolution of the crisis in the party.

    But receiving his guests at the in Benue State Governor’s Lodge, Abuja,the governor said : “I can assure you and the good  people of Benue that there is no going back on my decision to exit from the APC.”

    He added “at the appropriate time in the next few weeks, I would make my next move public.”

    And responding on Friday to claims by the state branch of  the APC that  it was the governor that gave himself a red card after it raised  issues of governance with him, Ortom branded  the party a one man show in Benue.

    His Chief Press Secretary, CPS, Terver Akase challenged the APC to “bring out facts to back their claim that they had faulted the performance of the Governor.”

    He said: “During the State Congress of the party at Aper Aku Stadium in Makurdi, it adopted the Governor as its consensus candidate. Again, the party publicly said its decision was based on the sterling stewardship of Governor Ortom within the last three years. But being the true democrat that he is, the Governor decided that other aspirants be also allowed to vie for the governorship seat to deepen internal democracy in the party.

    Read Also: Ortom: I’m yet to declare for any party

    “While Governor Ortom appreciates the platform which APC gave him to offer service to the people of Benue State, it is regrettable that the same party has now turned to demonize him for obvious selfish reasons.

    “Governor Ortom has encouraged regular caucus and other stakeholders’ meetings at which he constantly gives briefings about the security and financial challenges in the state. He also gets feedback and input at such meetings.

    “His successful conduct of the local government elections which APC candidates overwhelmingly won chairmanship and councillorship positions throughout the state is proof of the popularity of his administration.

    “At no time did Governor Ortom ever mention that the APC in Benue State gave him a red card. He stated categorically that it was the leader of the party who said at several fora that he had given him red card and the Governor made efforts to resolve the matter within the structure of the party at the state level before going public.

    “That APC in the state has issued the statement as if it is the leader of the party or as if they are one and the same, underscores Governor Ortom’s concern that the party structure in the state is out to satisfy the whims and caprices of one individual.

    “It is now clear that APC in Benue State has opted to mortgage the interest of the people of the state. The party’s unprovoked attack on Governor Ortom points to where its interest lies.

    “More ridiculous is the fact that APC has become a one man show in Benue State. It should be on record that the attacks on Governor are coming now because he couldn’t meet some inordinate personal ambitions and interests of those who want to perpetually shortchange the people.

    “The media attack on Governor Ortom by the state chapter of APC is the beginning of the smear campaign about which we alerted Benue people and other Nigerians. More of such disparaging statements should be expected in the days to come.

    “However, no amount of intimidation or personal attacks can make the Governor to abandon the people of Benue State. He has chosen to stand with the people and won’t be distracted now or in the future.”

    Oshiomhole on Thursday had said  Ortom  “is not going anywhere”   and called him  “a very, very prominent member of our party.”

  • I’m still in APC – Ortom

    … We don’t have red card – Oshiomhole

    Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom on Thursday made a dramatic u-turn saying he was still a card carrying member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and still flies the party flag.

    The governor who spoke when he met the National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole said what he told the world was that he was issued a red card by former governor of the state, Senator George Akume, adding that the party had informed him that nobody has the right to issue him any red card.

    The Governor has announced earlier in the week that he was quoting the APC as a result of the red card issued to him by the party.

    He said “I was given a red card by Senator Akume, but the leadership of the party told me that the decision of the party leadership at the national level is superior to any individual and I think that is good enough.

    “We have spoken to him, he has spoken to me, stakeholders are going to be spoken to and that is where I belong. We have not concluded the matter, it is an ongoing process because I have always stood for peace and I always want peace to prevail.

    “I appreciate the intervention and I hope that we would be able to resolve the matter of differences and this is the funny thing about politics. I am here in APC, a member of APC, am still flying the flag of APC and I only said I was given red card and that has been corrected by the National Chairman.

    Speaking while receiving the Governor, National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole said the party does not have any red card in its cupboard and would therefore not be issuing any to its members.

    Read Also: Ortom: I’m yet to declare for any party

    Oshiomhole said the party was doing everything possible to ensure that the crisis between the governor and senator Akume is resolved in the interest of the party and the state.

    He said: “I have assured, as the National Chairman that APC does not have a red card in our cupboard. So, we can’t give what we don’t have and we recognized that in several states, there could be legitimate legal issues, there could be agreement, disagreement, some contestations and this we are familiar with.

    “These are the evidence of the fact that we are a free Democratic Party and when leaders have disagreements, our responsibility is to help them to find common ground and the issues in Benue are not so fundamental that we cannot resolve.

    “We are confident that we would resolve them and Senator Akume is a very respected leader of the party and a former governor. He will recognize the need for peace and we have what it takes to make peace.

    “In Benue, we are going for a Win Win solution. Governor Ortom is not going anywhere, he is a very prominent member of our party, we appreciate his leadership in Benue and we will do everything possible to help those who have issues to have those issues resolved.

    “People like Ortom who have honor cannot leave PDP just three and a half years ago with his eyes open and then later there are some tensions in his master bedroom and is thinking of returning to deceiving people. That cannot be an option. He is a man of honor and he knows that one should look for one step if you want to take the second step to concentrate the first step, that’s the way to go.

    “Be assured that PDP can go and do whatever they do. It won’t change the mind of those who are convinced about building the future. It would not be without contestantation, it will be based on the understanding that we can have contestation, but we have the qualities required to resolve issues.”

  • Ortom appoints new BIRS chairman

    Governor Samuel Ortom has approved the appointment of Terzungwe Atser, as the new chairman of Board of Internal Revenue Service ( BIRS) .

    The former chairman of BIRS Mrs. Mimi Adzape was unceremoniously removed from office last week by the governor.

    Read Also: Ortom is not leaving APC, says National Vice Chairman

    Before his new appointed as chairman BIRS Mr. Terzungwe Atser was an Assistant – Director with Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) in Abuja.

    Mr. Atser is expected to resume duty at BIRS office along Makurdi – Gboko road .

    The Nation gathered that he had the mandate of the governor to reposition the Revenue and Taxation office to meet the yearning and expectations of Government in terms of revenue generation.