Following the exit of ex-governor Samuel Ortom from the Benue people’s house and the swearing-in of a new administration headed by Governor Hyacinth Alia, PlughuzMedia recalls the last few words of the state’s immediate past governor when he said he may become a freelance journalist after leaving office.
The recollection prompts a common question, “Ortom, what next?”
The prompt aims at attempting to predict what next moves the former governor would make considering his exit from office which was preceded by his failure to win a senatorial bid in the recent elections. A development to which he alleged that money had been handed to the Benue people in order to guarantee his defeat in the senate election.
The former governor however, said he had accepted it as God’s will even though he was aware of the ploys that preceded the elections.
Ortom, known to be a business man, may return to his many businesses in and outside Benue state which includes farming, perhaps, real estate (owing to his recent acquisition of several landed properties before the expiration of his tenure) and his recent dive into the broadcast sector amongst others under the auspices of Oracle Business Limited.
He had stated that after leaving office on May 29, he would either resume farming or work as a freelance journalist.
Speaking to the people of Benue State days before his exit from office, the ex-governor said that while he had forgiven the departing leader, he would remain in the country to work with the new leadership to improve Nigeria and provide relief for the populace.
But the question hence, will the new administration be willing to work with Ortom?
Recall that the ex-governor in one of his last addresses to the people of Benue before leaving office, bemoaned the torment that the people of Benue had to endure under Buhari. In his opinion, Buhari does not need to flee to the Niger Republic after pushing Nigeria to the bottom of every index.
What’s your rating of Ortoms’ performance as Governor of Benue State compared to Buhari’s performance over Nigeria?
Re: At the inauguration of the N19.6 billion Nigeria Customs Service Corporate Headquarters on Tuesday in Abuja, President Buhari declared that if turmoil or disturbances arise after he leaves office on May 29, 2023, he will flee to the nearby Niger Republic in search of safety.
“If anybody with force moves, I have good relationship with my neighbours, the people of Niger will protect me.” Buhari had said.
But responding to Buhari’s statement, Ortom said, “He doesn’t need to go to Niger, he should stay here with us and all of us should stay here and work with the incoming administration that God will put in place and by the grace of God, we shall move again from bottom to top.”
As a born-again Christian, he continued, “I have forgiven President Muhammadu Buhari. Even though he has taken us from top to bottom, we shouldn’t keep placing the blame on him.”
Well, former governor Ortom has always been known to be a born-again Christian and an ardent believer of the mercies of God that he had his signature ‘coinage’ “In God we trust” trending at the inception of his second tenure in 2019.
Why then do you think he lost his senatorial bid? Has God forsaken his own? Or what did Ortom do wrong?
Regardless, the people of Benue seem concerned. Ortom, what next?
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