AAC guber candidate, Obe, berates Ortom for abandoning governance in Benue

The African Action Congress (AAC) gubernatorial candidate in Benue State, Benjamin Obe, on Saturday accused the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, of abandoning his duties in the state.

In a statement issued in Makurdi, Obe knocked Ortom, who is one of the five governors currently at loggerheads with the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for “dancing around” with his colleagues.

Others in the group are Governors Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu).

The quintet had pulled out of the PDP presidential campaign activities to press home their demand for the resignation of the PDP national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu.

In the statement, Obe said it was wrong for Ortom to move around with other aggrieved governors despite the crises in his state.

He said: “To cover for their loss, the funny G5 governors dramatise around, claiming to be defending the South and ethnic minorities. But, he who comes to equity, the Greek Goddess opined, must come with clean hands.

Read also:Sowore disagrees with INEC on submission of AAC candidates

“Apart from Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and Wike, who made some claims to minimal governance, the rest three (Ortom, Okezie Ikpeazu – Abia, and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi – Enugu) have their states as the worst-governed in the country as I type.

“Both Seyi and Wike themselves only make noises around storms in the tea cup developmental projects that they advertise to the world as milestones. In the past three months, all we hear and see on television is Wike spending to hold large ceremonies to commission common fly-overs. Seyi is also exploring his popularity amongst the youths to build mythologies around his meager achievements in Oyo.

“But my major concern today is our own Ortom. Sadly, a man who rode on opportunism to become the governor on the back of religious and ethnic agitations has done almost nothing to ameliorate poverty, provide real security, and build human capacity.

“In Benue today, people travel within the state with ‘their hearts in their mouths due to a failed security system in the state, with our dear governor dancing around the country like an artist. The rate of kidnappings in the state is alarming.”

By Abdulkabeer Ambali

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