My appointees abandoned me after l left office, says Ortom
The immediate past Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, has said the majority of the people, including some key appointees in his government, abandoned him when it mattered most. He said
The immediate past Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, has said the majority of the people, including some key appointees in his government, abandoned him when it mattered most.
He said the people did not extend a hand of fellowship to him at the end of his tenure.
Ortom made this known during a luncheon organised in his honour by a forum of Christian brethren in Makurdi.
The former governor is also a member of the group.
According to him, it was not unusual for past administrations to leave behind months of unpaid salaries, pensions and gratuities, but what was new in his case was the angry reaction of Benue people toward the situation, which he said still causes him distress.
The former governor alleged that the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari disliked the enactment of the state’s anti-open grazing law, which he said was designed to promote ranching and enhance animal husbandry in the state.
However, Ortom regretted the resistance that followed the law, particularly from Fulani grazers who wanted the legislation scrapped.
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He said opponents of the law demanded its repeal and threatened to make the state ungovernable if it was not reversed.
For this reason, he said the Buhari administration allegedly starved the state government of funds to the extent that governance became difficult and led to the non-payment of salaries, pensions and gratuities.
Ortom acknowledged the forces that allegedly worked against the implementation of the anti-open grazing law but maintained that the resistance did not deter his administration from enforcing it.
He said his resolve to enforce the law resulted in assassination attempts on him on seven occasions.
The former governor added that after attempts to eliminate him failed, the Buhari government, through the former Attorney-General of the Federation, Michael Aondoakaa (SAN), allegedly invited him to the Presidential Villa to negotiate the repeal of the law banning open grazing in the state.
According to Ortom, he was told that if the law was repealed, N40 billion would be made available to clear arrears of salaries, pensions and gratuities, while another N35 billion would be provided for infrastructural development—bringing the total to N75 billion to help lift the state out of hardship.
However, the former governor said the offer was a “Trojan horse,” noting that accepting it could have triggered serious political and security backlash. He, therefore, rejected the offer.
Ortom further said while the Buhari administration allegedly put pressure on his government, the payment of salaries and delivery of other essential services suffered setbacks, leading to widespread dissatisfaction among the people.
According to him, the situation was exploited by opposition politicians who allegedly used it against him.
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The former governor claimed that some of the opposition figures, including a few of his former aides, were recruited by the Federal Government and resorted to blackmail to satisfy the presidency.
He lamented: “It was a difficult moment for me. Sometimes I wept, but I remembered that I serve God and depend on Him for protection. I told God that since I cannot withstand the challenges, let the people who were hungry and angry about my inability to pay salaries, pensions and gratuities do what they want.”
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Despite the challenges, Ortom argued that his performance in office was not the worst.
According to him, he paid five months out of the seven of salary arrears he inherited, while the total debt of N72 billion inherited by his administration was reduced to N38 billion by the end of his tenure.
He said despite these efforts, people continued to demonise him.
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For this reason, Ortom described the period as one of tribulation, lamenting that many people neither understood nor believed the challenges he faced and therefore failed to defend the efforts he made, including risking his life for the state.
He appreciated the Christian brethren for honouring him, describing the gesture as a symbol of love.
The celebrator also encouraged members of the group to extend similar gestures to others, saying it could inspire people to embrace productive ventures, including participation in partisan politics.
Ortom, however, praised the leader of the group, Evangelist Tor Uja, who recently joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and is reportedly aspiring to contest the Benue governorship next year. He assured the group of his support.
Uja informed the former governor about developments within the Christian brethren and appealed for continued support. He also briefed Ortom on his decision to join the PDP and his intention to contest the governorship election in 2027.
Members of the Christian brethren who spoke at the event eulogised the former governor for what they described as his contributions to the people of the state while in office.
