Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State on Tuesday dismissed rumours of his Benue State counterpart, Samuel Ortom returning to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In recent times, rumours had heightened about Ortom’s alleged plan to defect to the APC, a party platform he rode into power in his first tenure and later returned to his Peoples’ Democratic party (PDP) in 2018.
Wike said while commissioning road projects completed by Governor Samuel Ortom’s administration in Makurdi and Guma Local Government Areas respectively, that the Benue governor remains in PDP.
“One of the reasons I came today is to dispel the rumours that Ortom is going back. We will continue to stand together though we might be denied what is due us and intimidated but it will come to an end.
“Today in this country, there is total insecurity, and people are saying Governor Ortom is going back to a party where he nearly died. No man digs his own grave. God brought him out of the wilderness and some people are saying that he is coming back. Coming back to where?” he asked.
Not lacking character
The River State governor noted that Ortom is not one of those Governors who lack character as he stressed that it’s better to be a poor man than lack character.
He added that what Benue faces in terms of challenges remains similar to what Rivers state faces but that they (both governors) will not relent, insisting that, “nobody can tie us. We will speak when it is necessary.”
He commended Ortom for being a man of strong will, saying, “that is why we share similarities whether anybody likes it or not. We must fight against injustice in this country.
“Ortom is not one of the Governors who shy away from the truth. Whether you like it or not you will die the day God says you will die. If you don’t say the truth you will die if you say the truth you will die. So it is better to say the truth and die.
“Governor Ortom stood firm when his people were being killed. The major objective of governance is the protection of lives and property.
“If you cannot protect the lives and property of your people, your governance is zero. Because if you provide infrastructure there must be humans to use it,” he maintained.
Wike further appealed to Benue people to give Governor Ortom the necessary support as he urged them.not be afraid that the Economic Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) as in his estimation whether you go or not the EFCC will come for you.
He said that all those running away from the EFCC will eventually visit EFCC just as those who are not afraid we will also go to EFCC, emphasising that the anti-graft body existed for human beings.
He stated also that what Ortom passed through politically was known to everyone and that his coming to support him (Ortom) was because he cannot stand injustice.
“Nobody is a third-class citizen in this country. Nobody should deceive anybody that there are third class citizens in this country.
“I have been to Benue before. But what I have seen today is unprecedented. I keep asking him if it was from the sale of yam that he is doing this. You are a Governor who relates well with his people.
Our relationship will not end because it has been long standing,” Wike concluded.
On his part, Governor Ortom, described Wike as a true friend who has always stood for Benue people in trying moments during flooding and herders crisis during which he contributed over 200 million to the state.
Ortom noted the passion and zeal by his Rivers counterpart to always speak out in the face of injustice.
“We must continue to fight against injustice, lack of transparency and fairness These are lacking in our country. Security is a big challenge and the economy is in problem. It is unfortunate that we have gotten to this stage in this nation. There is need for a kind of dialogue. We need to sit down together and correct the imbalance in this country. The essence of governance is to stand at all times for the people,” Ortom posited.
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