Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has said that it is not in his habit to betray anyone.
Governor Ortom stated this, on Tuesday, through his Special Adviser (Media and ICT), Tahav Agerzua, while reacting to a statement credited to Sen. Barnabas Gemade, who recently left the People Democratic Party (PDP) for the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Gemade, who only recently dumped the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the PDP and then to the SDP, was quoted in the said statement to have said that he left PDP because Governor Ortom betrayed him.
But reacting swiftly, Ortom’s aide who said that there was no justification for anyone to claim that his principal betrayed him or her, maintained that the governor does not have the capacity to compel delegates to vote for anyone.
“We believe that the Senator representing the Benue North East Senatorial District was misquoted.
“This is because Governor Ortom does not betray people not to talk of someone of Senator Gemade’s personality and political stature.
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“Let it be on record that Governor Ortom has immense respect for the person and political leadership role of the Senator and has done everything to accommodate and accord him his due respect.
“However, it should be noted that the Governor does not have the capacity to compel delegates of the PDP to vote for any aspirant before or during the scheduled primaries. He believes in persuasion and dialogue.
“Even for his nomination for re-election, Governor Ortom has embarked on intensive consultation with PDP stakeholders across the state during which he presents his scorecard, while advancing reasons why he should be nominated.
“He appeals to other PDP aspirants to also consult with delegates and persuade them in similar manner.
“Yet as a Christian, the governor believes that a man can receive nothing except it is given to him from above, since ultimate power belongs to God.”