Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state was not in attendance as his other colleagues elected on the platform of the ruling APC visited President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday in Daura, Katsina state. His absence has further raised insinuations that he could be on his way out of the party. Some of the governors in attendance were Rochas Okorocha of Imo, Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi, Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara, Abdulfatai Ahmed of Kwara, Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano, Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto and Yahaya Bello of Kogi.

The governors of Benue, Ogun, and Lagos were represented by their deputies on the visit which the governors said was aimed at consoling with Buhari over the loss of two members of his extended family. Ortom has not been on good terms with the Presidency since the killing of 73 people by suspected Fulani herdsmen in his state on New Year’s Day. The Benue governor has increasingly blamed the Presidency for not being proactive, claiming he had informed the federal government that herdsmen were planning to attack some communities in the state. On his part, Buhari has not visited Benue since the killings; though, he hosted Ortom at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on 9 January.

The president’s media aide Femi Adesina had said in January that Buhari did not visit the North-central state because he did not want to politicise the killings. Adesina was speaking on the back of criticism of the president for not visiting Benue. And when Buhari visited neighbouring Nasarawa state on 6 February, Ortom sent his deputy, Benson Abounu, to represent him there. Buhari was in Nasarawa on a working visit where he commissioned a couple of projects.“As a mark of honour and respect for his office and that of the president, I have sent my deputy to represent me because I cannot leave the state when my people are being killed,” Ortom said.

On Wednesday the governor reiterated his position that the Presidency should be blamed for the recent killings in his state, when he appeared before the joint Senate Committee on Police Affairs and National Security and Intelligence. He showed the lawmakers copies of his letters to President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and the security chiefs before and after the crisis began.“Over 100 people killed in Benue would not have died if security agencies were responsive. None of the letters (to the Presidency) was replied,” he said.

“The Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, attributed the Benue killings to blockade of grazing routes and implementation of ranching law.“His position is misleading and dishonest. We hope that his position is not that of the Federal Government.”

Post Views: 195

Related Topics:again buhari Gov. Ortom Snubs

Up Next

PDP Chides Amaechi, Says APC, Party Of Lairs

Don't Miss

APC Failed Nigerians Woefully – Goodluck Jonathan

Click to comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

BIG STORY

Former Deputy Governor Agboola Ajayi Wins Ondo PDP Gubernatorial Primary

Published

3 mins ago

April 25, 2024

PorscheClassy News

A former deputy governor of Ondo, Agboola Ajayi, has emerge winner of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial primary election in the state.

Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, the deputy governor of Bayelsa, who chaired the electoral committee that supervised the poll, announced the results on Thursday in Akure, the state capital.

Ewhrudjakpo said Ajayi scored 264 votes to defeat other aspirants.

“By virtue of the results, Ajayi Alfred Agboola having scored the highest number of votes is hereby declared the winner of this primary and hereby declared the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party for the November 2024 election and is hereby returned as the candidate,” he said.

Ajayi was the deputy governor of Ondo state from 2017 to 2021.

Kolade Akinjo, who came second in the election scored 157 votes while Olusola Ebiseni polled 99 votes to clinch the third position.

On June 21, 2020, Ajayi, a lawyer and businessman, resigned his membership from the ruling party All Progressives Congress (APC) and joined the PDP.

He cited irreconcilable differences between him and his principal, the late Rotimi Akeredolu, the former governor of Ondo.

He then joined the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) after losing the PDP gubernatorial primary to Eyitayo Jegede and became the candidate of the party in 2020.

Ajayi had served as a councillor, chairman of Ese-Odo LGA, and house of representatives member before he was nominated by the late Akeredolu as his deputy in 2016.

Post Views: 7

BIG STORY

Fubara Reshuffles Cabinet, Redeploys Wike’s Loyalists From Finance, Justice Ministries

Published

2 days ago

April 24, 2024

PorscheClassy News

The executive governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, has redeployed two commissioners in his cabinet in a major reshuffle since he took the mantle of leadership of the state.

Secretary to the state government (SSG), Tammy Danagoro, made this known in a statement issued on Tuesday.

Fubara redeployed Zacchaeus Adangor, attorney-general and commissioner for justice, to the ministry of special duties.

The governor also deployed Isaac Kamalu, commissioner for finance, to the ministry of employment generation and economic empowerment.

Danagogo said the commissioners are to hand over to the permanent secretaries in their outgoing ministries, adding that deployment is with immediate effect.

Both commissioners are loyalists of Nyesom Wike, the immediate former governor of Rivers and incumbent minister of the federal capital territory (FCT).

Last year, the commissioners resigned from their positions following the political feud between Wike and Fubara.

They were later reinstated after Wike and Fubara signed a peace accord facilitated by President Bola Tinubu.

Wike and Fubara are locked in a struggle for control of Rivers’ political structure.

The political crisis led to the defection of 27 state house of assembly members, who are loyal to Wike, from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The lawmakers have been threatening the govenor with impeachment.

The lawmakers have vetoed the governor in at least three bills after he refused his assent.

Post Views: 87

BIG STORY

This Is Not A Time To Hold Grudges, We’ll All Gain — Aiyedatiwa To Guber Opponents

Published

4 days ago

April 22, 2024

PorscheClassy News

Ondo State governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, says all the governorship aspirants on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state will all gain, but at different times.

Aiyedatiwa, on Sunday, said this in his acceptance speech after defeating 15 other governorship opponents to become the candidate of the APC in Ondo.

The gubernatorial candidate, who was deputy to the late Rotimi Akeredolu, took over the reins of the state after the latter’s demise.

The governor said a contest like the primary exercise comes with “discordant tunes”.

“Let me at this time acknowledge and thank all the aspirants who threw their hats into the ring in the family contest to be the flag-bearer: Hon. Mayowa Akinfolarin, Chief Olusola Oke, SAN, Sen. Jimoh Ibrahim, Mr. Wale Akinterinwa, Hon. Isaac D. Kekemeke, Hon. Gbenga Edema, Mr. Ohunyeye Olamide Felix, Hon. Olujimi Odimayo, Mr. Olusoji Ehinlanwo, Morayo Lebi Esq, Prince Diran Iyantan, Prof. Francis Faduyile, Engr. Ifeoluwa Oyedele, Mrs. Funmilayo Waheed Adekojo and Engr. Funke Omogoroye,” he said.

“Your participation has created so much awareness within and outside our party. You mobilized our members and removed apathy.

“You have also brought in numerous new members into the party. All of these have enriched our democracy and strengthened our party in the state.

“Democracy sometimes, after a contest like this, comes with discordant tunes. But this is not the time to hold grudges against anyone but for all of us to come together to work for the success of our great party so as to remain in power.

“We will all gain in this party, though at different times, if we keep faith. I salute your courage and keen interest to lead the State towards development. It is your right and you are qualified and worthy members of our party.

“I want to specially thank the President and Leader of our party, His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his leadership.”

Aiyedatiwa encouraged everyone to work together to build Ondo.

Post Views: 65