Ortom to Gemade; I don't betray people

Ortom to Gemade: I don't betray people

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State on Tuesday said in reaction to a media comment credited to Senator Barnabas Gemade that he does not betray people.

Our correspondent reports that a media report had allegedly quoted the senator who represents Benue North East senatorial district at the National Assembly as saying that he defected again from the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) because the governor betrayed him.

In reaction to the allegation on Tuesday in Makurdi, the governor through his Special Adviser on Media and ICT, posited that he would want to believe that Gemade was misquoted in the said media report.

“This is because Governor Ortom does not betray people not to talk of someone of Gemade’s personality. Let it be on record that the governor has immense respect for the person and political stature of Senator Gemade and has done everything to accord him his due respect.”

“However, it should be noted that Ortom does not have the capacity to compel delegates of the PDP to vote for any candidate. Even for his nomination for reelection, Governor Ortom has embarked on intensive consultation with PDP stakeholders across the state during which he presented his scorecard, while advancing reasons why they should nominate him,” he said.

The governor therefore appealed to other aspirants like himself to also consult with delegates and persuade them in similar manner, adding that as a Christian, he believes that a man can receive nothing except it is given to him from above, since ultimate power belongs to God.

Gemade had rejoined the PDP about a month ago after his three year-sojourn in the APC where he got his present second term mandate but moved again few days ago to the SDP on account of recent development in the PDP which allegedly does not favour his cause.