Ortom speaks on return to APC

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has denied the rumour that he was planning to dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and return to the All Progressive Congress (APC)

Ortom also said he had never advised the Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, to dump the APC for Accord Party (AP).

The governor, who had dumped the APC for the PDP mid last year, pick the ticket of the party and eventually won the 2019 governorship election on the platform of the PDP.

Shortly after winning the election, news making the rounds suggested that he might again dump the PDP and return to the APC.

However, the governor, who spoke to newsmen in Makurdi last weekend on some issues that arose while he was out of the country on vacation, stated that he had no plans of returning to the APC as it would amount to returning to his vomit.

He said, “I cannot go back to my vomit. Nothing has shown that anything is wrong with me in PDP. PDP is my home, PDP is my party. I have helped build this party, I supported it. I added value to the party, with a host of others.”

The governor explained that he had held various positions in the PDP, including being state secretary and deputy chairman as well as national auditor and even became a minister on the platform of the party, saying he had no basis for leaving the party.

He said, “I have no basis whatsoever (to leave PDP for APC). I have been fully integrated into the PDP with my entire team. I prefer to be where I am (PDP); I am happy they have given me accommodation. I am happy working with PDP.”

Ortom, who explained that he had not spoken to the Kogi state governor in recent times, also stated that he had never advised the latter to dump the APC.

While he noted that he had too much on his hands to meddle in Kogi State politics, he observed that he was not the type to meddle in other people’s affairs.

He said, “And let me clarify the matter on a news item making the rounds that I have advised the governor of Kogi State to move to Accord.

“I have not been speaking to the governor of Kogi State. I have nothing to do with Kogi politics, my own problems here are enough for me. I have no time for another problem; let me save my energy, time and resources in solving Benue problems.”