Tuesday, 19th March 2024
To guardian.ng
Search

Ortom denies endorsing APC guber candidate

By Joseph Wantu, Makurdi
17 October 2018   |   4:15 am
Governor Samuel Ortom has distanced himself from a publication credited to one of the leaders of Miyetti Allah, Garus Gololo...

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom

• Restates commitment to separation of powers
Governor Samuel Ortom has distanced himself from a publication credited to one of the leaders of Miyetti Allah, Garus Gololo, wherein the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship standard-bearer in Benue State, Emmanuel Jime, was endorsed.

In a statement, the governor’s Adviser on Media and ICT, Tahav Agerzua, said his boss cannot and will never sponsor a smear campaign against the APC candidate, describing the report as false.

He said it was rather unfortunate for the campaign organisation to have attributed the Sunday publication to the governor.

The aide wondered how an interview with Gololo that expresses support for Jime’s candidacy would become the handiwork of his principal.

According to him, “Gololo, the source of the published story, has been antagonistic of the Ortom administration such that the security agencies are looking for him to answer questions on threats to the life of the governor.”

However, the Benue chief executive has restated his resolve for the principle of separation of powers among the three arms of government.

Ortom, who spoke yesterday in Makurdi when the outgoing Chief Judge of the state, Justice Adam Onum, paid him a courtesy visit, noted that the independence of the judiciary, legislature and executive arms of government would deepen democracy, pointing out that they would continue to play complimentary roles as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

He lauded the state judiciary for carving a niche for itself as one of the best nationwide.

The governor described the retiring jurist as a complete gentleman, courageous and God-fearing person who demonstrated love for the judiciary and the people of the state.

He disclosed that the processes for the appointment of a new CJ had commenced, assuring the citizens that the entire exercise would be expedited to avoid a vacuum at that arm of government.

Justice Onum thanked his host for giving him the opportunity to serve and the judiciary for the cooperation he enjoyed, asking that same should be accorded his successor.

0 Comments