By Aboje Anefu, Makurdi
Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom has disclosed that the senator representing Benue North West Senatorial District, George Akume would have lost his election in 2015 if he had not aligned with him.
Governor Ortom while fielding questions from newsmen after the swearing ceremony of some commissioners and council chairmen in Government House, Makurdi yesterday, said, “it was because I worked with him that he became senator for the third term.
“He was going to lose that election. That was why he waited and insisted that I must be the candidate of that party. And you will see what will happen in these elections that are coming up now that I am not with him.
“He should be apologizing to the people of Benue State for his non performance. As a senator for 12 years, what did he do? What is his legacy as senator for 12 years? He should be apologizing to Benue people for joining hands and collaborating with our enemies to fight us in the state. He is a loner and I will also apologize that I worked with him.
Reacting to insinuations that the recent suspension of six local government chairmen in the state was political, Ortom said, “As long as you are doing politics in line with the laws of the land, there’s no offense. It is when people are lawless that I complain. Whether politics or not, the law must be obeyed and due process must be followed which is what we did.
“We have fulfilled all righteousness as far as the law establishing the local government is concerned. So, if somebody points out to me that this is what I have done which is wrong, I will talk about that. But as far as I am concerned, we have done the right thing.
“There was a restraining order in the past and so, we couldn’t go ahead to suspend them though there were petitions against them and we had to verify. These facts were there but now that the restraining order was discharged, we are right. If we waited for three months because we are law abiding, we should be appreciated. There’s no politics here. We are doing the right thing.”
Governor Ortom who also commented on the disclosure by the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed that Benue state has been marked as one of the states that will witness crisis ahead of the general elections said the federal government should be held responsible if any crisis erupt in the state.
“That is their game plan. You know, this is not the first time that they are coming out with this. They have been planning this for a long time that they will cause crisis themselves. The federal government is planning crisis, is planning to send herdsmen and instruct the security men not to contend with their terrorist acts so that there will be crisis.
“But it is left for Nigerians to know. You heard what former President Obasanjo said. The truth is that Buhari is no longer in charge of government. It is the cabal that is running this government and it is very clear. You heard what the First Lady said that we should rise up to fight the cabal. We did not elect the cabal into the villa to do what they are doing against us.
“So, it is clear and I’m not surprised about the statement coming from the federal government that Benue State is earmarked. At least, we have relative peace today but they intend to cause crisis themselves. So that they will make the state ungovernable and so on and cause our elections to be inconclusive so that at the end, they will come and intimidate us.
“Nobody will intimidate Samuel Ortom and all of us in Benue State here. I am with the people and the people are standing with me. I will do it with the last pint of my blood as long as it is lawful. Nobody will intimidate me.
On the crisis in Gboko town which some attributed to the suspension of the council chairman who is a close ally of Sen. Akume, the governor has this to say: “All these things are planned but we will do the right thing whether there is rioting. We have to do what is right and we have done the right thing.
“Can you point out to me what we did which is wrong? If there are rioting, the security men are responsible for ensuring that there is law and order because the right thing has to be done. Though the federal government is planning that there should be lawlessness. It is their game plan and everybody is aware.”
