The dominant state of affairs no doubt depicts the fact that the nation’s political atmosphere is getting torrid and steamed up as we approach the 2023 general elections, with candidates and gladiators making strenuous moves to bring to line plans and strategies geared towards winning elections at various levels of elective positions.
It’s not out of place for supporters to promote their chosen political party and respective candidates, especially when the embargo on electioneering campaigns is fully lifted by the nation’s electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. However, the electoral commission had earlier announced February 18, 2023, for the oresidential election, but following the signing of the amendments to the Electoral Bill by President Muhammadu Buhari, the commission released new dates – presidential and National Assembly elections have been slated for February 25, 2023 while governorship and state assembly elections will be held on March 11, 2023.
As events unfold, I find it compelling to write this piece on the most silent go-getter within the nation’s political firmament, who is determined to serve his people of Benue state and Nigerians at large, without consideration to media hype. Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state appears to be one of the misjudged and misunderstood leaders.
It’s pretty ill-starred that most of his political adversaries and fault-finders in his home state, Benue, had an opportunity to give back to the state but woefully failed while those at the national level don’t even have the guts and courage to speak and stand on the side of justice and fairness, not minding whose ox is gored.
In fact, Governor Ortom’s sterling political credentials stand him tall among equals and contemporaries. He is a through-bred politician to the chagrin of his critics, who couldn’t help than to watch him growing amidst all controversies and orchestrated tailbacks. He was a party leader both at the state and national levels – state publicity secretary of the defunct National Centre Party of Nigeria (NCPN). He was the state treasurer of the All People’s Party (APP) and state secretary and deputy chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before he was appointed as the director of operations of the PDP gubernatorial campaign in Benue state in 2007 and director of administration and logistics of the Goodluck/Sambo Presidential Campaign Organisation in 2011. Ortom was also the PDP national auditor, before his appointment as minister in July, 2011 by President Goodluck Jonathan. Indeed, this profile is intimidating and matchless!
Endeared by his people, Ortom answered inundated calls to throw his hat into the ring in 2015 on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). He overwhelmingly defeated the army of egocentric power mongers, who are in politics to accumulate wealth than to serve the people and make a difference. He polled 422,932 votes as against PDP’s Terhemen Tarzoor, who polled 313,878 votes to emerge runner-up.
In the build-up to the 2019 general elections, those, whose stock in trade is to work against the interest of the silent majority, ganged up against him in alliance of some federal might who were trying to impose detested candidates on the people of Benue state. Ortom and his team returned to the PDP and defeated Emmanuel Jime of the APC after polling a total of 434,473 votes against the Abuja supported Jime, who garnered 345,155 votes.
For those who don’t know, Ortom’s crime in the APC was his single-mindedness and tenacity in telling the power at the centre nothing but the truth, especially, on the prevalent insecurity and reckless and thoughtless economic policies of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration that plunged this nation into serious dilemma, despair, and hopelessness. He always speaks truth to power, particularly in defence of his people and Nigerians on the broader perspective.
The federal government’s buoyed disgruntled elements, after they’ve been shamelessly defeated in the ballot, devised another trick to impeach him, myopically and owlishly, in the PDP’s majority state assembly by alleging unfounded acts of corruption against his administration. The desperation is a cankerworm in the APC and its cohorts. How could a right thinking human ponder on impeaching Governor Ortom in a state assembly the APC has only three out of 30 members?
Samuel Ortom has in recent times stood for fairness and justice in the lingering leadership crisis rocking the PDP. He was also instrumental and equally part of several meetings aimed at bringing peace and unity in the party before the 2023 general elections.
As busy as he is, Ortom was able to transform Benue state to an enviable status by building road infrastructure in all nooks and crannies of the state. Some of the roads have been dully completed while numerous others are still under construction. The governor once said the reason he had not been commissioning the projects executed by his administration in the previous years was to save funds for other important projects – funds earmarked for the commissioning of such projects could be used to execute more development projects in parts of the state, hence his decision to ignore the idea.
But, because of the political importance of the projects’ commissioning, Ortom later on various occasions commissioned fully completed projects while flagging off new ones in parts of the state. Today, no sector of the state’s economy is left out in the Ortom’s transformation agenda.
Consequently, Governor Ortom’s bid to represent the good people of Benue South West Senatorial District in the 19th assembly is in the best interest of Nigerians, irrespective of regional, religious, or ethnic affiliations. The prevailing situation in the country requires strong and committed legislative backing to help us get out of the woods and Ortom is a get material and strong voice that would eventually reverse the rubber-stamp syndrome in the red chamber – serious business requires serious persons.
Iliya writes from Abuja.
