Governor Samuel Ortom has identified lack of internal democracy within the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the main reason he left the ruling party for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Ortom made this known in a Sunday statement through his media aide, Tahav Agerzua, in the state capital, Makurdi.
The governor decried the situation where erstwhile Governor of the state, Sen. George Akume, allegedly hijacked the party structure in the state and did as he pleased while excluding other stakeholders.
Ortom also blamed alleged Federal Government complicity in killings in the state as another reason he decided to walk away from the ruling party, among other reasons.
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He said, “you have a situation where a powerful individual high jacked every structure of the party and excluded all other stakeholders including senators and members of the National Assembly and key party members.
“Besides, major stakeholders in the state advised Governor Ortom to leave the APC because of the federal government’s alleged complicity in the ongoing killings in the country including Benue state.
“They advised him to change platform so that they can fight against the return of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019. The stakeholder are scared that if Buhari comes back in 2019 the killings would be worst because it is clear that he supports the conquest and occupation agenda of his ethnic group, the Fulanis.
“The people claimed that the APC at the centre is an accomplice because you see key Ministers of the administration, key Ministers of the National security council, like that of Internal Affairs, Defence, IG of Police and the Chief of Army Staff coming out to condemn the anti open grazing law of the state which is a major landmark law because it opposes the Fulani agenda. They are using grazing to conquer and occupy.
“But now both the government of the APC and the party machinery are now trying to change the narrative of the Benue killings to blame the victims instead of the aggressors. That is why they are now claiming that he is sponsoring the killings.
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“Is it Ortom that is killing in Plateau, Adamawa, Zamfara and other states of the federation? So are you saying that the governors of these states are killing their people? Okay since you know the killers, whoever they may be why not arrest the people involved?
“Why the Benue stakeholder believe that the federal government is complicit in the killings is their failure to arrest the leadership Miyetti Alla Kautal Hore who had earlier issued threats against Benue and eventually executed that same threat even after the matter was reported severally?
“The other reason is Senator George Akume’s inordinate ambition to become senate president that has made him to sacrifice anyone or anybody or even his people to achieve his ambition.
“We gathered that He has been promised the senate presidency and he has sacrificed Ortom and his people. You know he contested the position in 2007 and 2011. His whole life is to become the senate president at the expense of anything and he is satisfied. It is that ambition that made him to sacrifices Ortom to the federal powers.
“Another issue is Senator Akume’s antecedents. It was not possible for Ortom to contain Akume. Nobody has been able to keep a lasting relationship with Akume in Benue state, nobody has the capacity. It is impossible to cohabit with Akume politically for long. It is impossible. Ask the likes of Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, Terhemba Shija his former campaign Director General. Is it Senator Gemade, is it Senator David Mark, is Gabriel Suswam? Name them.
“Akume talked about Ortom’s non performance, it cannot be that issue because all the people listed here did not have performance issues yet Akume fell out with them. If you talk of non perforce it means that Akume has indicted himself because he brought Ortom and then nominated key officials in his cabinet and he asked non of them to resign on account of non performance.”
He added, “everyone know that Ortom became Governor in time of war, what we are going through is a warlike situation where 18 out of 23 local government areas were under siege. It means Ortom is Governor in time war which is a different ball game apart from the economic challenge.
“Apart from that he has recorded major milestones in health, education, security and infrastructure. Lots of projects are being executed in the rural areas. Bridges, roads and electricity. There are about 70 projects ongoing presently across the state.
“Moreover there is a grand conspiracy against Governor Ortom from APC forces from within and outside the state which was uncovered. This is not only against his reelection but against the wishes of the people of the state.
“Another issue is the APC administration’s failure to deliver on its campaign promises of security, economic rejuvenation and fight against corruption. They have clearly failed.
“The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, seems to be going after perceived enemies of the government. There no visible federal government presence in Benue, all federal roads are in terrible state. So from all these Ortom saw that his interest and those of the people cannot be protected in the APC so he had to leave.”