Ortom reinstates aides who lost election bids

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State on Thursday directed the reinstatement of his political appointees who had resigned to contest elections but were not favoured by zoning.

Our correspondent recalled that following the governor’s directive, four commissioners and many other aides of the present administration including the Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase, as well as Chief of Staff, Terwase Orbunde, resigned their appointments in September last year to pursue their respective aspirations.

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Most of the vacuum created by their resignations has since been filled up.

However, Ortom, in a statement by his spokesman, Nathaniel Ikyur, on Thursday, disclosed that only those whose positions were not replaced will enjoy the new privilege.

Ortom, according to the statement, made the disclosure at a parley he had with all political appointees from the 14 Tiv speaking local government areas comprising two senatorial districts of the state, noting that he would be holding another meeting with his appointees from the Idoma-speaking Benue South Senatorial District at a later date.

The governor said the gesture to reinstate the former aides who lost their bids for elective political offices was to show his appreciation for their dedication to supporting and working for his administration since their appointment and supporting consensus arrangements in their respective constituencies.

He used the occasion to clear the air on the rumour of a rift between him and the national chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, dismissing insinuations of any disagreement.

“I have no single problem with our national chairman, Senator Ayu; our leader, Senator David Mark; Senators Gabriel Suswam; Abba Moro; Orker Jev or any leader of the party.

“We are consulting with one another without rancour. So there is no truth whatsoever in such rumours.

“We are working together for the success of our party and there is nothing like division or rift whatsoever. There is nothing that will divide us,” Ortom added.