How I offered N75b grant under Buhari govt – Ex-Gov Ortom reveals

From Attah Ede Makurdi 

The immediate past governor of Benue State, Chief Samuel Ortom, on Thursday alleged that he faced severed pressure from the immediate past administration of  Muhammad Buhari to abandon the implementation of the anti open grazing law in the state.

He further revealed  that his refusal to step down the law as demanded by Buhari Govt, also denied him  N75 billion grant given to other states governors to clear salary arrears of civil servants, gratuities of pensioners and  infrastructural development.

Chief Ortom who disclosed this during a media interaction held at his residence in Makurdi on Thursday, explained that, at first, he was offered N40 Billion  free interest loan for infrastructural developments and another N35 billion to clear salary, gratuities of civil servants and pensioners.

“So, I was pressured to abandoned the law but I said no and I  was denied N75 billion in all, including taken free interest loan from infrastructural bank to finance development projects and clear salary and gratuities civil servants and pensioners because of my stance to defend my people”

“That was why the killings could not stop. Is not all about anti open grazing law. It is Fulani herdsmen agenda. Their plans to chase us out of our land. It’s about land grabbing and so, we must not allow it happen. We should continue to pray for the governor of Benue State, Fr. Alia, the SGF and President Tinubu to succeed”, Ortom stated.

Speaking on the clamour by some northern politicians for power to return back to the north, Chief alluded that he stands on southerner to continue with the presidency comes 2027.

He maintained that in line with gentlemanly agreement of rotating presidency from North to South, he insisted that the South be allowed to complete its eight years before the baton returns to northern part of the country.

“Till today, I, Ortom believes in southern presidency, even if my party (PDP) is producing a candidate for presidency in 2027, the candidate must be from the South. South should be allowed to complete eight years.

“So , for me , am not supporting a northern candidate. But we will do strategic partnerships to win election. I will encourage it. I Samuel Ortom believe in southern presidency. I will not support northern presidency in 2027. 

“It was a gentleman agreement that power should rotate between north and south”, Ortom stated. Even if my party is bringing a candidate from the south, we need to scrutinize the  people before he can be accepted”.

Asked to assess the president’s administration, Ortom applauded the ongoing reforms of President Bola Tinubu, stating that the reforms were adding value to the economy.

“Tinubu administration is doing well, je is ensuring that the rule of law prevails and this is good for our country.

“The oil industry had been a place where few clique siphoned our common wealth but with the removal of subsidy, there is a lot of money in all the states.

“The president even stated this during his visit to Benue at the height of the killing of our people in Yelwata where he said that no state would say it doesn’t have have money to pay salary.

“Also, the tax reform is a good step, and the ongoing reforms will help our economy to grow, Tinubu is not partisan, his dream is to make the country grow.

While castigating Buhari’s administration the former governor said that  Buhari administration took the country from ‘top to bottom’.

Ortom who is now member of Board of Trustee of the Peoples Democratic Party said, he is not part of coalition, adding that he is  a bona fide  member of PDP, leader of PDP and member of BoT of the party which made him not to think of going out of the party.

“I remain a member and leader of Peoples Democratic Party, am even a board member of my party and i don’t believe in coalition but where there’s need for strategic partnership you will see me there.

“Politics is a game of interest, no permanent enemy or permanent friend, but permanent interest. I don’t believe in coalition movement. President Tinubu is doing very well.