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Tag: Samuel Ortom

  • 2027: My support remains for southern presidency – Ortom

    2027: My support remains for southern presidency – Ortom

    The immediate past governor of Benue, Chief Samuel Ortom, said he will still support a southern presidential candidate in the 2027 general elections for equity and fairness.

    Ortom made the disclosure on Thursday in Makurdi during his first media chat since he left office in 2023.

    He said his support remains a southern presidency in 2027 because, as a patriotic Nigerian, the country needed to demonstrate her unity in diversity in the area of power rotation.

    The former governor stated that he sacrificed his senatorial ambition in 2023 for a southern presidency and has regret for his actions.

    “There is an unwritten constitution in this country that the north should rule for eight years and the south eight years.

    “Anything that is not southern presidency I’m not in. It is wrong; we must work together as a people for our unity and diversity. The common thing we have agreed on in this country is eight years for the north and eight for the south.

    “But if we have a credible candidate whom we believe has the capacity to perform more than the sitting president in our party in 2027, we will support the candidate.

    “But if we don’t have, we will support any good candidate in 2027 that is from the south,” he said.

    On the ongoing coalition of political parties into the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Ortom said he was not interested.

    He also said he remained a bona fide member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), adding that he is the leader of the party in Benue and a BOT member at the national level.

    “Politics is a game of interest. There are no permanent enemies but permanent interests. What you are seeing is a normal thing in politics; nothing new.

    “But where we need to do a partnership, a strategic partnership, yes, when we know that it would be for the interest of our people, we will do it.

    “I don’t believe in coalition. There is nothing like a coalition at the moment. We are not doing a coalition with anybody,” he said.

    Pray, support Gov. Alia to succeed – Ortom urges Benue citizens

    The immediate past Benue governor also urged the people of the State to pray and support his successor, Gov. Hyacinth Alia, to succeed.

    Ortom made the call on Thursday in Makurdi during his first media interaction since he left office in 2023.

    According to him, even the scripture admonished Christians to pray for their leaders.

    He, however, regretted that despite his efforts to develop the state during his time and silence after leaving office, all he got from his successor was attacks and all kinds of name-calling.

    The former urged the people to pray for the governor to understand the importance of implementing the state Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law, 2017.

    He said there was every need for the present administration to take the implementation of the law seriously because the law belongs to the people and insecurity has continued unabated.

    Ortom further accused the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari of turning a blind eye to the then killings, displacement and attacks of Benue people by armed herders.

    He also disclosed that powerful interest groups within the idea Buhari’s government championed open grazing despite the realities of Nigeria’s growing population and dwindling land resources.

    He alleged that his refusal to support the open grazing agenda led to deliberate economic sabotage against his administration.

    He said some forces denied him an N40 billion interest-free loan from the Central Bank to clear salary arrears and an N35 billion infrastructural loan to develop the state.

    “Because I stood against the open grazing policy, which was impractical in the face of our current realities, they punished Benue by withholding funds we were legitimately entitled to,” Ortom said.

    Ortom said despite the economic sabotage, he was able to execute legacy projects such as the ultra-modern Tor Tiv Palace and Oche-Idoma palace.

    He said he also built 42 primary healthcare centres to boost the state healthcare system and renovated/rebranded over 2000 primary schools.

    The former governor also said he constructed many roads that have today opened up major towns in the state.

    “I appreciate God for everything. God brought me to govern the state at a time like that for a purpose, and I feel fulfilled that I was able to fulfil that purpose.

    “During my time I met with the Tiv and Idoma traditional councils and stakeholders to fashion out policies that guided my administration.

    “I remain very grateful to God and the people of Benue for standing with me to achieve what we achieved,” he said.

  • Coalition: Ortom’s ally resigns from PDP

    Coalition: Ortom’s ally resigns from PDP

    Mr David Olofu, former Commissioner for Finance and Budget (2015-2023) under the immediate past Benue governor, Chief Samuel Ortom, has resigned his membership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    Olofu announced his resignation in a letter addressed to Edikwu Ward 2 Chairman, Apa Local Government Area, which he personally signed and made available to newsmen on Wednesday in Makurdi.

    He is the  former chairman of the Forum of State Commissioners for Finance of Nigeria (2019 – 2023).

    Olofu said his decision to leave the party was to enable him to exercise his freedom of association as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “I write to inform you of my decision to resign as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with effect from 30th June, 2025.

    “This decision has become necessary as I move to exercise my right to freedom of association enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “I have done this in the interest of Edikwu Ward 2, Apa Local Government Area, Benue South Senatorial District, and indeed Benue State,” he said.

    Olofu was a Senior Technical Adviser to the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (2023 – 2024). He is currently the leader of the new coalition in Apa LG.

  • PDP disciplinary committee invites Ortom, Anyanwu, others

    PDP disciplinary committee invites Ortom, Anyanwu, others

    The National Disciplinary Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has invited the embattled National Secretary of the party, Samuel Anyanwu, former Governor of Benue, Dr Samuel Ortom and 10 others.

    The Chairman of the committee, Chief Tom Ikimi, in a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja, disclosed that the committee had so far received and considered five petitions.

    Ikimi said that the committee met on Wednesday at the Legacy House, Abuja, in line with its mandate pursuant to Section 57(1) of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017) relating to party discipline.

    He said that the first set of the petitions were against some key members of the National Working Committee (NWC).

    According to him, the committee, however, decided to step down three of the petitions against the top NWC members.

    Ikimi said this was to avoid jeopardising the ongoing reconciliatory efforts by the governors’ forum and the Board of Trustees.

    “The second set of petitions which were set down for enquiry are those against former Governor of Benue, Dr Samuel Ortom and 10 others and the petition against Anyanwu.

    “Accordingly, the national disciplinary committee resolved to invite the affected persons to appear before it on Wednesday, Feb.12 at the Legacy House, Maitama, Abuja, ” he said.

    He said those expected to honour the invitation include the Petitioners and their witnesses on the one hand, and the affected party members and their witnesses on the other hand.

    “The required notices have been issued out accordingly ” he said.

    Ikimi reiterated the committee’s commitment to ensuring discipline within the PDP and to restoring the integrity of the party.

    He also expressed the committee’s determination to deal fairly with matters brought before it.

    He advised those with genuine grievances against any member of the party to take advantage of the standing committee and follow due process in bringing up their complaints.

  • Drama in Benue as Gov Alia, Ortom fight over SGF’s thanksgiving service

    Drama in Benue as Gov Alia, Ortom fight over SGF’s thanksgiving service

    Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State and his predecessor, Chief Samuel Ortom, exchanged hot words over the weekend regarding a thanksgiving event held in Agidi, Konshisha Local Government Area, to honour the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume.

    The event, also organised to celebrate the 50th birthday of Dr. Matthias Byuan, an Executive Director at the Federal Housing Authority, was attended by prominent figures, including Chief Ortom.

    However, Governor Alia’s Chief Press Secretary, Sir Tersoo Kula, in a statement about the event, accused Ortom of poor leadership during his tenure from 2015 to 2023.

    The statement criticised Ortom’s administration for alleged financial mismanagement, unpaid salaries, and stalled infrastructure projects.

    It also accused Ortom of using divisive rhetoric and signing unproductive agreements during his governorship.

    But in response, Terver Akase, a spokesperson for Chief Ortom, dismissed the allegations as unprovoked attacks.

    Akase argued that Ortom’s attendance at the thanksgiving should not incite political controversy and called on Governor Alia to focus on governance, contending that pressing issues, such as insecurity and community development, are areas in need of urgent attention.

    Ortom’s camp further criticised the Alia administration for receiving higher federal allocations without matching the expectations of citizens in addressing security and developmental challenges, urging the governor to prioritise the concerns of Benue residents rather than target political opponents.

  • Ex-Gov Ortom urges Yahaya Bello to come out of hiding; gives reasons

    Ex-Gov Ortom urges Yahaya Bello to come out of hiding; gives reasons

    Former Benue Governor, Chief Samuel Ortom, has asked the immediate past governor of Kogi State, Mr Yahaya Bello, to come out of hiding and answer his case with the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).

    Ortom stated this on Sunday at the Redeemed Church in Makurdi during the thanksgiving service organised by his aides to mark his 63rd birthday anniversary.

    He urged Bello to come out and defend his administration, adding that his continuous hiding would bring disgrace to former governors across the country.

    The ex Benue governor also urged his former appointees to always come forward and give account of their stewardship when called upon saying that they could only run when they had something to hide.

    “I want to use this opportunity to advise my younger brother and friend, Governor Yahaya Bello, not to disgrace former governors. You don’t need to hide, you don’t need to resist arrest or anything. Go there and respond.

    “EFCC are human beings. If they are making enquiries, the laws are there. I have tried to get him on the phone, I could not,  I have tried those around him, I could not so I want this to be noted.

    “So wherever he is, if he can hear me, thank God the press are here, he should come out,” Ortom said.

    The former governor appreciated the Benue people for their support throughout his eight years tenure and for celebrating him on his birthday.

    He said that being at the top for eight years was not an easy task and called on the people to always pray for their leaders.

    Ortom urged Benue youths to stop insulting the elders on social media and take advantage of the internet to add value to their lives and bring development to the state.

    “Do not insult the leaders or elders on social media. We all must be part of the process to bring peace so that progress, prosperity and development will come.

    “The youth must take advantage of the social media to bring development to themselves and to the state.

    “The whole world is in your palm, in your tablets and in your phone. Look at the essence of the internet.

    “Now that you cannot go to the farms, go to the website and see what people are doing in other to be parts of the world and to add value and bring wealth to yourselves,” he said.

    Ortom expressed gratitude to God for his mercies over his life and family saying he left government house a better christian and that he would continue to be and worship in the house of God.

    In their remarks, the Former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Michael Aondakaa, Chairman, Benue PDP, Mr John Ngbede, Sen Abba Moro,  all  appreciated Chief Ortom for his dogged fight for the security of the people.

    They  prayed to God to give him more opportunities to continue to contribute to the peace and development of the state.

  • I am not leaving PDP – Ortom

    I am not leaving PDP – Ortom

    A former governor of Benue, Dr Samuel Ortom, has debunked rumours making the rounds that he is leaving the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for another political party.

    Ortom made the clarification  during the party’s stakeholders meeting on Monday in Makurdi.

    The former governor said  he remained a member of the party and would  continue to work for its progress.

    “I am not defecting to any political party. I am not going anywhere. I will remain in PDP.

    “I have helped in building the party and I am committed to working  for its progress,” Ortom said.

    He advised leaders to expose rumour mongers in view of the damage caused by  their activities.

    Also speaking  at the meeting , Sen. Gabriel Suswam  admonished PDP leaders to always strive to work together to make the party stronger.

    According to him, PDP is capable of winning  all  elections in the state.

    Suswam , also a former governor of the state, pledged that the party would not impose party officials on  members, saying that members would be allowed to choose their leaders themselves.

    He said that PDP made mistakes during the 2023 general elections and thar the party  had learnt a lot of lessons.

    The former governor said  that the lessons  learnt would propel the party  to plan better and wrestle power from APC.

    Mr John Ngbede ,  the PDP Chairman in the state  , urged  members  sowing seeds of discord among party  leaders to desist forthwith.

    Ngbede said that if they continue to sow the seeds of discord  among  leaders, they would be disappointed.

    “We ,the leaders of PDP, are very united and we will remain so no matter the circumstances.

    “We will work very hard to reclaim our mandate in 2027. The Benue State Government House belongs to us,” Ngbede said.

  • Benue Debt: Gov. Alia quoting outrageous figures to disparage me – Ortom

    Benue Debt: Gov. Alia quoting outrageous figures to disparage me – Ortom

    The Immediate past  Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, has said his successor, Governor Hyacinth Alia, is quoting  outrageous figures in the public domain just to disgrace him.

    Ortom who spoke through his media Aide, Terver Akase denied the allegation by Benue State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Fidelis Mnyim, claiming that his administration bequeathed a debt profile of over N14 billion as consent judgment to the present government.

    “What the Justice Commissioner said was one in a series of media outings by the Alia administration aimed at dragging the name of the former governor and his administration to disrepute,” Akase said.

    Akase added that the present government is quick to publish unsubstantiated figures in the media only to accuse the previous administration without giving evidence to back their claims.

    According to him, the intention is to cast Ortom and his government in dark colours, make political capital out of every issue while evading public scrutiny.

    Akase said : “It should be noted that most of the issues raised by the Commissioner for Justice are from pensions and gratuity cases.

    ” It is on record that the Ortom administration inherited arrears of pension and gratuity which cut across several past administrations and the court cases filed by the pensioners were still pending when Chief Ortom assumed office in 2015.

    “To ameliorate the situation in his usual humanitarian disposition, Governor Ortom decided that the senior citizens had served the state meritoriously so his government would not enter defense against them in court, and he opted for amicable resolution of the cases.

    “The State Government had an agreement with the retirees and was paying their arrears of pensions and gratuities as funds permitted. This was even as the economic situation in the country was severe with federal allocations to states at their lowest since 1999 and Nigeria had plunged into recession at two different times.

    “If the present government is complaining about numerous garnishee orders, there is the possibility that it has defaulted on the payment arrangement that the Ortom administration made with the pensioners and the retirees have returned to the courts.”

    Akase said the current Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Fidelis Mnyim served as counsel to some persons who took the Benue State Government to court.

    “He ought to have told the media if the case he handled was among the garnishee orders resulting in the N14 billion that he claimed.

    “Chief Ortom appeals to Governor Hyacinth Alia to take advantage of the huge funds available to his administration from the federation’s account following the removal of fuel subsidy, to address development challenges.

    “When a new government assumes power, it inherits both assets and liabilities. Governor Ortom, like his predecessors, inherited similar financial obligations,” Akase added.

  • Court throws out Ortom’s suit against Alia

    Court throws out Ortom’s suit against Alia

    A Benue High Court sitting in Makurdi, has held that former Governor and his deputy, Mr Samuel Ortom’s and Mr Benson Abounu’s suit against the Governor and Government of Benue sought to delimit the governor’s constitutional powers.

    Delivery the judgement on Wednesday, Justice Theresa Igoche struck out the suit for being speculative and seeking to limit the constitutional powers of a democratically elected State Governor in Nigeria.

    Igoche further described the suit as an academic exercise that sought to delimit the constitutional powers of a governor as contained in Section 5 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    She said, “This court and in fact all other courts will not act on speculation. In my view, this suit is premature at this stage as there are no sufficient facts to support the reliefs sought in this originating summons.

    “Even on the ground two of the grounds upon which this application is predicted, I agree with the applicants counsel that the suit as presently constituted aims at delimiting the constitutional powers of the Governor granted by section 5 of the Constitution.

    “This case is not saying that the Governor’s exercise of powers cannot be questioned at all. What I am saying in the instance case is that the plaintiffs have not brought sufficient evidence of any act of the defendants to warrant the determination of the questions set out in the reliefs in the originating summons.”

    Ortom and Abounu had dragged the governor, Benue Government, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Police Force, DSS, Hinga Biem and all members of the State Assets Recovery Committee before the high court.

    Ortom, the immediate past governor of the State and his deputy in the suit challenged the retrieval of vehicles and property donated to them and their cabinet members by the Benue Executive Council before their handover on May 29

    They alleged that, such action of retrieval was a constitutional affront to their collective rights to ownership of property legally and legitimately vested in them by the then State Executive Council members.

    Their counsel, Douglas Pepe (SAN) said the cause of action was potent and alleged that over 32 vehicles donated to the Plaintiffs by the Benue State Executive Council before they left office on May 29th had been taken custody off by the Defendants.

    Pepe held that their decision to take the custody or seize the 32 vehicles was an affront to plaintiffs right to ownership of property.

    He urged the trial court to restrain the defendants and their agents from interfering with any of the property donated to them by the past administration.

    However, counsel to the Governor, Government of Benue State, Chairman of the Assets Recovery Committee and other defendants Mohammed Ndarani (SAN) challenged the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the matter.

    Ndarani also held that the entire case of the plaintiffs was based on speculation as it failed to give identity of the cars and properties allegedly taken from the Plaintiffs.

    He also urged the court to dismissed the suit because its sought to limit the executive powers of the governor to appoint and appropriate committees to help in the administration of the State.

    Ndarani said the terms of reference of the committee to decipher the extent of their powers and to help determine whether the committee had overlapped its authority were not before the court.

    He said the committee was also not shown to have completed it work to conclusively establish whether they had permanently taken custody of any vehicles, hence for investigative purpose, temporary taking of custody of vehicles is allowed under the constitution.

    The counsel stressed that, if such frivolous suits were allowed to linger, development would be greatly hampered across the country.

  • Ex-Gov Ortom submits self for probe

    Ex-Gov Ortom submits self for probe

    Former Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom has said he is ready to submit and make himself available for probe and respond to issues bordering on his administration whenever the need arises.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Ortom, who lost his bid for a Senatorial seat on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), said this in a statement by his Media Aide, Mr Terver Akase on Wednesday in Makurdi.

    He urged his supporters not to heat up the polity but to remain calm and law abiding in the face of alleged provocation by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

    Ortom appreciated concerns expressed by different people over his alleged harassment through petitions to anti-graft agencies, as well as arrests of his appointees and impoundment of his vehicles.

    The former governor also called for calm and urged those making statements regarding the situation to exercise restraint and not to heat up the polity.

    “I am capable of responding to the issues being raised against me and other officials of my government and I have always made known my belief in the rule of law.

    “I am ready to make myself available to respond to issues bordering on my administration whenever the need arises,” Ortom said.

    He appreciated his supporters and well wishers for their prayers and messages of goodwill.

  • Ortom berates Benue governor, Hyacinth Alia for seizing his vehicles

    Ortom berates Benue governor, Hyacinth Alia for seizing his vehicles

    Former Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom has berated his successor, Hyacinth Alia accusing him of giving orders to the Assets Recovery Committee to seize his vehicles.

    According to Ortom, his vehicle alongside others undergoing repair were towed from a commercial workshop operated by London Lines Transport Ltd along Otukpo road in Makurdi on Tuesday.

    This was made known via a statement signed and released by his media aide, Terver Akase.

    Ortom insisted  that the Benue State Executive Council during his administration, gave him and his deputy approval to leave with their official vehicles.

    Akase said, “We are shocked beyond belief at the development which smacks of lawlessness. The media show that followed the incident indicated that the present administration in the state is out to torment, persecute and humiliate the former Governor using every unconventional means.

    “The invasion of a workshop today by members of the Assets Recovery Committee led by one Barrister Tom Uja who were accompanied by security operatives from Government House to tow away vehicles, many of which do not belong to the former Governor, was the height of illegality.

    “When the present Governor set up the Assets Recovery Committee and they made Chief Ortom a target, he approached the court and the matter is still in court.

    “His Excellency Ortom is not the first former Governor to vacate office with the official vehicles allocated to him. His predecessors, former judicial officers, legislators such as the Chief of Staff to the present Governor, Paul Biam, the Assets Recovery Committee Chairman, Hinga Biem and other members of the committee who served in government at different times all left with the official vehicles given to them.

    “Ortom is a law-abiding man who served the state as Governor and has not committed any offense deserving the persecution that the present administration has subjected him to. He will continue to respect the rule of law even in the face of the latest provocation,” the statement added.