TheNewsGuru

Tag: Ortom

  • Jime, APC drag Ortom to election tribunal, seek to upturn his victory

    Mr Emmanuel Jime, the defeated Benue Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the APC in the state have filed a joint petition challenging the victory of Gov Samuel Ortom at the general elections held between February and March in the state.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the governorship polls in the state were declared inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and reconducted in March where Ortom was declared winner.

    Ortom polled a total of 434,473 to floor his closest rival, Jime of the APC, with 345,155 votes.

    The petition was filed on Friday at about 10:15pm by Mr Sunday Ameh, (SAN).

    Ameh told reporters that the petitioners (Jime and APC) were challenging the return of Gov Ortom by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    “Our prayers are that Ortom did not win the elections by majority of lawful votes cast at that election, rather it is the prayer of Jime that the tribunal declare him as dinner of that election, having been the candidate that scored majority of lawful votes cast”.

    NAN reports that the petitioners other grounds were; that Gov Ortom was not duly elected by majority of lawful votes and that his election was invalid by reason of non- compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended.

    The petitioners alternative reliefs were that; the elections be nullified for substantial non- compliance with the electoral act across the polling units where electoral infringements took place.

    They are further asking the court to order fresh elections if the results of the affected polling units identified in the petition affect the entire result.

    Also speaking to newsmen at the tribunal, Dr Sam Ode, APC deputy governorship candidate said they had raised genuine issues that would give them justice at the end of the day.

    Ode further said that they did not have any personal issues against Gov Ortom and commended the Benue people for their peaceful conduct during the polls.

    “We are acting within the law and until the declaration of Ortom is upturned, we will cooperate with him and Benue citizens, what we need in Benue is development, peace and the welfare of our citizens is paramount.

    “So we don’t have anything personal against Ortom, the issues we have are purely political and purely issues that border on the welfare and future of Benue people. We are all partners in progress”.

  • Atiku congratulates Tambuwal, Ortom on re-election

    The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party and former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, says the victory of the candidates of the PDP in both Sokoto and Benue states is an acknowledgement from Nigerians that the PDP is the only truly national party in the country.

    Atiku, in his congratulatory message to Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State on his re-election, assured the people of the state that they had made the right decision that would see them continue on the path of peace, progress and prosperity.

    He also congratulated Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State over “his very well-deserved re-election.”

    “Ortom is not just a credit to the PDP, he is also an epitome of servant leadership, which all and sundry should emulate. With him again at the helm of affairs in Benue, the people of the Food Basket of the Nation can look forward to á refreshing time,” Atiku said.

    He hailed the PDP governorship candidates in Bauchi and Kano states, Bala Mohammed and Abba Yusuf, respectively, who he said had made great showing in both states

    He said, “Victory is within reach. They have shown that they are men of the people and we are convinced that much good will come out of these men of enviable talents and leadership ability.”

    He also congratulated the PDP and all its members, saying the party was the true bastion of democracy and should be encouraged by the victories.

  • Supplementary Polls: How Ortom, Lalong, Ganduje, Tambuwal scaled through hurdles of reelection

    Supplementary Polls: How Ortom, Lalong, Ganduje, Tambuwal scaled through hurdles of reelection

    Governors Samuel Ortom (Benue), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Umar Ganduje (Kano) and Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto) have retained their seats after the collation of Saturday’s supplementary polls.

    But their challengers – Emmanuel Jime (Benue), Jeremiah Useni (Plateau), Aliyu Sokoto (Sokoto) and Abba Yusuf (Kano), have rejected the results as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the close of the second ballot yesterday.

    They plan to seek judicial redress.

    Ortom of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) polled 434,473 to defeat his All Progressives Congress (APC) challenger Jime, who scored 345,155; incumbent Plateau helmsman and APC candidate Lalong beat his PDP challenger Useni and Tambuwal of the PDP scored 512, 002 to beat APC’s Sokoto, who polled 511,660.

    The INEC had declared elections inconclusive in six states as there were no clear winners on the first ballot on March 9.

    The states are: Adamawa, Benue, Bauchi, Kano, Plateau and Sokoto. The commission fixed March 23 for makeup polls but a court barred the electoral umpire from going ahead in Adamawa and in Bauchi’s Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area.

    An Abuja Federal Court will today rule on INEC’s application to vacate an ex parte order barring it from conducting supplementary poll in Tafawa Belewa Council Area.

    Also tomorrow in Adamawa, a High Court will rule in an objection suit filed INEC against order obtained by Movement for the Restoration and Defence of Democracy (MRDD) governorship candidate Rev. Eric Theman, challenging the exclusion of his name of the ballot paper.

    Tambuwal, was returned after a keen contest with a lead margin of 342 votes.

    In the earlier results before the makeup poll, Tambuwal had 489,558 votes, leading with 3,413 as against APC’s Sokoto’s 486,145.

    Declaring the results in Sokoto yesterday at the Sultan Muhammadu Maccido Institute for Quranic and General Studies, venue of the collation, the Returning Officer and Vice Chancellor of the Jigawa State University, Dutse, Prof Fatima Batulli Mukhtar, said the APC got 25,515 and the PDP scored 22, 444 from the 22 local government areas where the makeup was conducted.

    According to Mukhtar, 50, 332 of the 95,022 registered voters were accredited. Those whose votes were valid were 48,309 and 1,580 were rejected.

    Merging the final results, the Returning Officer said the PDP scored 512,000; APC returned 511,660 votes with a total registered voters of 1,887,767 and 1,083,413 accredited for the exercise.

    Prof Mukhtar also gave the valid votes as 1,036,336 with 31,662 as rejected votes while 1,067,990 represented total votes cast.

    He said: “That Aminu Waziri Tambuwal having satisfied the electoral requirements and returned the highest votes is hereby declared winner of the Sokoto state governorship election.”

    In a swift reaction to the declaration, APC agent and campaign Director-General, Alhaji Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi, objected to the presentation of the results from Kebbe Local Government Area on two issues – malfunctioning Smart Card Reader and non-conduct of the exercise in some polling units. He urged INEC to look into his observations.

    Maigari said: “We strongly object the result from Kebbe and call on the electoral umpire to do the needful.”

    The electoral body noted the observations and complaints raised by the APC, saying that it will be in its record for possible attention.

    PDP supporters and well-wishers took to the streets to celebrate the victory.

    BENUE

    After days of intense suspense, emotional and psychological torture among the Benue populace, INEC yesterday returned Ortom as winner of the supplementary governorship poll.

    The election was declared inconclusive because the number of votes cancelled in areas where elections were disrupted was more than the margin of lead by Ortom after the March 9 governorship election.

    State Collation Officer Prof. Sebastine Maimako, Vice Chancellor, University of Jos, announced Ortom as winner having satisfied the requirements stipulated in the Electoral Act and guidelines for the declaration of winner of the election.

    The final statistics as announced by Maimako showed that 858,947 of the 2,471,894 registered voters were accredited for the election.

    The valid votes were 830,954; rejected votes (15,268) and the valid votes were 846,222.

    PLATEAU

    The INEC declared Lalong as winner of the election.

    The governor was declared the winner by the Returning Officer, Prof Richard Anande Kimbir, Vice Chancellor of the University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Benue State.

    Announcing the final results, Prof Kimbir said, Simon Lalong of the APC polled 595, 582 votes to beat Useni of the PDP, who scored 546, 813.

    “I hereby declare Simon Lalong of APC returned as governor of Plateau State, having polled the highest numbers of votes in the state’s governorship election,” the returning officer said.

    Results of the supplementary election held in nine local government areas, including Langtang South, Barkin Ladi, Bassa, Bokkos, Jos North, Kanam, Mangu, shendam and Pankshin, showed that Lalong scored 12,327 new votes. The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Jeremiah Useni, earned 8,487.

    The result of the supplementary was, therefore, added to that of the main election before it was announced.

    BAUCHI

    In Bauchi State, the PDP candidate Senator Bala was leading incumbent Governor Mohammed Abubakar of the APC in the supplementary governorship election conducted in 36 Polling Units (PUs), covering 29 Registration Areas (Wards) in 15 local government areas.

    The makeup poll did not hold in the Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area, owing to a court order.

    Mohammed garnered 6376 votes against Abubakar’s 5117 votes on Saturday. He was leading the incumbent with 1259 between both parties.

    The result was announced in Bauchi yesterday by the Returning Officer, Prof. Mohammed Kyari, Vice Chancellor of the Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola.

    At the close of the ballot on March 9, Mohammed had 469,512 votes. Abubakar had 465,453. The 4059 lead margin prompted INEC to declare the poll inconclusive after a Federal High Court in Abuja halted the collation and announcement of results for the Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area.

    Abubakar got a court injunction restraining INEC from continuing with the collation and announcement of election results. Judgment will be delivered today.

    The total votes scored so far by Mohammed in the 19 out of the 20 council areas has increased to 475,888. Abubakar’s stands at 470, 570 votes. The difference is 5,318 votes.

    The PDP yesterday urged the governor to concede defeat and work together with the party for the progress of the state.

    Speaking in a telephone interview, the PDP Chairman, Hamza Koshe Akuyam said the “right thing for the governor to do is to surrender in the face of an imminent defeat”.

    Mohammed has expressed gratitude to the people for their support.

    He said: “We owe our victory to the people of Bauchi who have stood very firm on the threshold of freedom and liberty and have shown that they are the icons of democracy and liberty. Words alone cannot express my appreciation to them all.”

    The former FCT minister addressed a news conference at the Command Guest House in Bauchi immediately the results of the election were announced.

    KANO

    Incumbent Governor Umar Ganduje of the APC was last night declared winner of the makeup governorship election Kano State.

    Declaring the winner of the poll, Collation Officer Prof. Bello Shehu said that after merging the final results, the APC candidate polled 1,033,695, while his challenger Abba Yusuf of the PDP scored 1,024,713 votes.

    He said that 2,268,305 of the 5,426,989 registered were accredited. The valid votes cast stood at 2,199,535 and 50,861 were rejected. Those who cast their ballot were 2,242,396.

    He added that the APC candidate defeated his opponent with 8,982 votes.

    According to Shehu, the winner was declared after the collation of results from all the 28 affected Local government areas where the supplementary elections held on Saturday.

    He said: “That Abdullahi Umar Ganduje having satisfied the requirement of the law, has scored the highest votes, is hereby declared winner and returned elected.”

    The collation officer said that the governorship election was earlier declared inconclusive following the high number of cancellation of votes as a result of violence and over voting.

    According to him, the total number of votes cancelled during March 9 election was more that the margin between the PDP candidate, who was leading with 26,000 votes and that of the APC candidate.

    Yusuf was earlier declared to have 1,014,474, against the APC candidate Gov Ganduje who garned 987,819 votes.

    The votes cancelled during the first ballot were 128,572 and the collation officer said the electoral act stipulates that such election must be declared inconclusive.

    The PDP agent, who is also the party chairman in the state, Suleiman Rabiu Bichi frowned at the conduct and rejected the entire supplementary election process, especially that of Gama in Nassarawa Local Government Area.

    His APC counterpart, Abdullahi Abbas, described the election as another landmark victory for the APC, adding that the era of politicking is over.

    “Our doors are wide open to embrace the PDP for a better governance”, the APC chair said,

  • Supplementary polls: Gov Ortom leads in 9 of 13 LGA’s of Benue

    Supplementary polls: Gov Ortom leads in 9 of 13 LGA’s of Benue

    Gov Samuel Ortom of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) won in 9 of 13 Local Government Areas (LGA’s) in the supplementary polls held on Saturday.

    Results from nine councils will be announced today.

    The results of 13 councils as announced by various INEC Collation Officers on Sunday in Makurdi showed Ortom won Agatu, Apa, Ogbadibo, Gwer West, Buruku, Ukum, Kwande, Logo and Ushongo while Mr Emmanuel Jime of the All Progressives Congress (APC) won in Tarka, Otukpo, Makurdi and Ohimini LGA’s.

    Ortom polled 144 votes in Agatu as against Jime’s zero vote.

    In Apa LGA, the APC candidate polled 176 votes while Ortom’s PDP garnered 296 votes to win the election in the local government area whereas in Otukpo the APC polled 255 votes to defeat PDP with 250 votes.

    In Ogbadibo the PDP won with 467 votes while the APC scored 241 votes. In Ohimini APC polled 2,223 as against PDP’s 192 votes.

    In Gwer West, APC has 137 votes, PDP 481 votes,

    APC polled 550 votes in Makurdi, while PDP got 182 votes. The PDP prevailed in Buriku, winning 515 votes to APC’s 189 votes.

    In Tarka, APC polled 409 votes and the PDP 202 votes, while in Logo, APC scored 34 votes to the PDP’s 651 votes.

    The results showed that in Ukum, APC got 65 votes, the PDP won 616 votes, while in Kwande, the PDP got 193 votes, leaving the APC with just 3 votes.

    In Ushongo LGA, the PDP polled 352 votes to defeat APC with 94 votes.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the results of the polls in nine more local government areas were being awaited.

    INEC will resume the announcement of results at 10 am on Sunday.

    Before the supplementary election, Ortom had 410,576 votes, while Jime of APC had 329,022 votes..

  • Benue rerun: PDP appoints Mark, Ortom, Suswam, others as polling agents

    Benue rerun: PDP appoints Mark, Ortom, Suswam, others as polling agents

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State is leaving no stone unturned ahead of the March 23 rerun elections in the state as it has announced names of its polling agents and returning officers.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission had announced March 23 for the supplementary election.

    Benue is among the six states where the electoral commission said rerun governorship election will hold on March 23.

    Other states in this category are Kano, Adamawa, Bauchi, Sokoto and Plateau.

    Ortom, in the first election, scored 410,576 votes while the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Emmanuel Jime, got 329,022 votes.

    The Returning Officer, Prof. Sebastian Maimako, who declared the election inconclusive, said that 121, 011votes were cancelled.

    The list of the party’s polling agents and returning officers, which our correspondents sighted on Thursday, was said to have been forwarded to INEC.

    Topping the list of the party agents are a former Senate President, David Mark, immediate past governor of the state, Gabriel Suswam, erstwhile Minister of Interior, Abba Moro and Governor Samuel Ortom.

    Others are a former Director General of the National Agency for Foods and Drug Administration and Control, Dr Paul Orhii, Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Titus Uba and the Secretary to the State Government, Tony Ijohor (SAN).

    Also on the list are the state chairman of the PDP, John Ngbede, the state Attorney-General, Michael Gusa, the National Auditor of the party, Agbo Emmanuel, Mike Mku, Frank Utoo, Dr Elijah Ikpaor, Prof. Tor Iorapuu, Steven Iyorchir, Mark Gbillah, Dave Iorhemba, Tyorkyan Cletus, Orker Jev, Bemgba Iortyom, Matthew Nyinta, David Tsevedo, Cyril Gajir and Tersegu Tsegba.

    The returning officers, according to the list signed by the state party Publicity Secretary, Bemgbar Iortyom , are Senator Dino Melaye and former Attorney-General of the state, Alex Adum.

    When contacted to speak on the list, Iortyom declined.

    Also, the Information Officer of INEC in the state, Andya Terkaa, said he could not confirm the report, adding that such information was not meant for the public.

    “I cannot say for now whether the PDP has brought names of their party agents for the rerun election or not. If at all, they have brought it, such thing is not for the public,” Terkaa said.

  • Benue Governor, Ortom delivers flawless victory for Atiku at polling unit

    Benue Governor, Ortom delivers flawless victory for Atiku at polling unit

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has won all the elections in the polling unit of the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom.

    Ortom voted at the Government Secondary School Gbajimba, Polling Unit 003, Tsofon Kasuwa, Nzoro ward of Guma Local Government Area.

    According to the results from his polling unit, Atiku Abubakar of the PDP defeated President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress with a flawless victory of 711 votes to zero.

    During the voting exercise, it was observed that APC agents were absent at most polling units in Gbajimba.

    Ortom won his governorship election on the APC platform in 2015. He defected to the PDP in 2018.

    He will contest for another term of four years against his closest rival, Emmanuel Jime of the APC.

     

  • Rigging will not be allowed in Benue – Gov. Ortom

    Rigging will not be allowed in Benue – Gov. Ortom

    Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue, 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.

    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

  • Panic in Benue as herdsmen set Ortom’s rice farm ablaze

    Suspected herdsmen have set ablaze the over 20,000 hectares of rice farm belonging to Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom.

    TNG reports that the rice farm is located in Tse-Adorogo, Mbabeagh, Nzorov, Guma Local Government Area of the state.

    According to a report by The Nation, the governor said he had not harvested his rice farm, which is incorporated under Oracle Business Limited, before the suspected herdsmen set it ablaze.

    Oracle Farms, which started when the governor was the Chairman of Guma Local Government Area, is into massive rice and soybeans cultivation.

    It was learnt that this was the fourth time Ortom’s farms had been attacked.

    When he was Minster of State in former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, suspected herdsmen attacked his Oracle Farm on Naka Road at gunpoint and stole 30 cows.

    The herdsmen struck again in 2014 at his Tse- Adorogo, Mbabeagh country home and set his rice farm and house ablaze.

    When he became governor in 2015, herdsmen again set ablaze his rice farm in 2016 and 2017.

    The governor expressed concern that herdsmen again destroyed crops in the state.

    He reiterated his called for ranching of animals, saying there is no more land for anyone to feed their cattle in the name of grazing.

    “I said ranching is the international best practice for animal husbandry. But if anyone has an alternative method, let him bring it to the table,” he said.

    Ortom urged youths not to take the law into their hands but report to security agencies if any cattle encroached on farm lands in any part of the state.

    The governor however said he would officially visit the rice farm Tuesday to assess the damage done to it by the herdsmen.

     

  • 2019: Benue voters will resist rigging, intimidation – Ortom

    Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue has said that the people of the state have resolved to “resist any form of intimidation and rigging during the 2019 general elections”.

    Ortom stated this on Sunday in Jos, while answering questions from newsmen, shortly after a special Church service.

    ”We hear that people are scheming to win elections at all cost; some have openly boasted that they will use force to subvert the people’s wish.

    ”We are on ground and ready to confront anyone with such idea. As long as government is willing to conduct free and fair elections, we are there to support them.

    ”But if anyone attempts to do otherwise, the people will resist that. There is no doubt about it,” he said.

    Ortom, however, appreciated the Federal Government for the prevailing peace in the state and prayed for its sustenance.

    He said that his administration would not hesitate to appreciate the Federal Government when the right was done.

    ”The introduction of `Operation of Whirl Stroke’ has really solved our security challenges in Benue, especially the invasion and attacks by herdsmen.

    ”Some people are trying to change the narrative. They do not want the outside world to hear the truth. The situation gets more shocking when people, who know the truth, choose to say something different.

    ”At the moment, we are happy, but when things are not right, it is our duty to voice it out. We shall continue to do that.

    ”Now, we have appreciated Mr President and the Federal Government for giving us adequate security in the state. If the situation changes tomorrow, we shall shout,” he said.

    Ortom also said that the recent engagement of many youths into various ventures was to prepare them to take over leadership roles in Benue, pointing out that the current crop of leaders would not be there forever.

    ”No matter how lean our resources are, there is every need for us to continue to engage the youths.

    ”That is the motivating factor and I think that has inspired our youths into gainful ventures instead of going into vices like cultism, drugs and so on,” he said.

  • 2019: Ortom orders arrest of buyers, sellers of PVCs

    The Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, on Wednesday, directed security agencies in the state to arrest people buying the Permanent Voter’s Cards.

    Ortom gave the directive on Wednesday in Makurdi while interacting with newsmen.

    He said that the security agencies had been notified of the ugly trend, stressing that anybody found buying PVCs or selling them would be arrested and prosecuted.

    Ortom said that he was aware that members of a political party in the state were buying PVCs. He warned that security men would arrest them.

    “I advise members of the public to be wary of those who will want to dispossess them of their cards under whatever guise,“ he said.