I SEE ORTOM AS AKU’S REPLICA – SENATOR OKPE Some stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the Benue South Senatorial district have extolled the leadership qualities of Chief Dr. Ortom saying he would run the state like the late Governor Aper Aku if given the mandate. They included traditional rulers, former members of the National Assembly, former council chairmen and members of the Benue State Executive Council, party chieftains as well as other grassroots leaders. The stakeholders spoke at separate meetings held with the party stalwarts drawn from the Okpokwu/Ogbadibo/Ado as well as Oju/Obi federal constituencies in Okpoga and Oju. Royal Fathers from the constituencies, led by their royal highnesses, Ada Okpokwu, Chief John Ali, and Ada Oju, Chief Augustine Ogbu also gave the Minister of State, Industry, Trade and Investment their blessings and prayed for him to have a successful political outing. Senator Godwin Okpe, a second republic legislator, said if elected Chief Dr Samuel Ortom would be a replica of the late Governor Aper Aku. “With his passion for industrialization I see in Chief Dr. Samuel Ortom a replica of the late Governor Aper Aku,” Senator Okpe who served as the late governor’s finance and economic development commissioner stated. “As an individual over 400 people have already gained employment in some of his industries, not all of them are PDP members; some are Idoma while others are from different parts of Nigeria.” The party chieftain maintained that from his antecedents he would also be as fair minded as the late Aku and appealed to the people of the state to give Chief Dr. Ortom the opportunity to prove his mettle. A former Chairman of Ado local government area, Mr. Tony Ogoro, said there were only two categories of aspirants in the race, Chief Dr. Ortom and the rest stressing that he was the only person who could salvage the state from its present predicament. His former Okpokwu council counterpart and member of the Benue State executive council, Mr. Jacob Ogwuche, described the Minister’s aspiration as ordained by God while a former supervisory councilor, Mrs. Elizabeth Bello, stated that the aspirant had demonstrated capacity to carry people along and offer jobs to unemployed youths. Former Ogbadibo council chairman, Honorable Clement Agada said they were praying that God would crown the best material. Honorable Augustine Abe, who spoke for representatives from Obi State Constituency, and Ode Omirigbe, his counterpart from Oju, expressed support for the Minister’s aspiration saying if given the mandate he would shine like a star. Other PDP chieftains who testified about Chief Dr. Ortom’s leadership qualities included Chiefs Mike Iduma, Simon Shango and Chiata Azabiam who spoke for the various senatorial districts in the state said the minister was a good candidate and that core politicians including all the former PDP state chairmen unanimously supported his aspiration as one of their own. Responding during the meetings the minister stated that his administration would provide an enabling environment that would attract investors to invest in the exploitation of the Igumale cement as well as Owukpa coal deposits even as he would find a lasting solution to the Agila/Ngbo crisis. He pledged that he would provide leadership which would be anchored on the fear of God and initiate policies based on equity, fairness, transparency, justice, accountability, forgiveness, reconciliation, and unity which he said would pave way for development and allay fears of minorities. He also inaugurated his local government and ward campaign teams in Okpokwu, Ogbadibo, Ado, Oju and Obi local government areas and inaugurated offices provided by supporters at Obarike-Ito and Oju.
Posted on: Tue, 07 Oct 2014 09:54:37 +0000
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