APC describes Ortom’s alledged exit from party as rumour

By : NAN

Date: 16 July 2018 9:32pm WAT

Governor of Benue State Samuel Ortom speaks about internally displaced people and farmer's violent clashes from Logo and Guma communities at Gbajimba IDPs camp outskirts of Makurdi, capital of Benue State in northcentral Nigeria on January 4, 2018. Nomadic cattle herders have all but left Benue state, driven away by fighting over access to resources and a new law banning migratory herding, an age-old practice necessary for the survival of the livestock. More than 100 people have been killed since early January, with 100,000 fleeing their homes to safety, according to the local emergency management agency (SEMA). After months of inaction, the Nigerian army announced the imminent deployment of troops for "Operation Cat Race" in several city states, including Benue to end the violence. / AFP PHOTO / PIUS UTOMI EKPEI

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has described the alleged exit of the governor of Benue state, Samuel Ortom, from the party as a rumour.

Reacting to what the party called speculation, on Monday in Abuja, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, its National Chairman, said the party had a cordial relationship with Ortom.

He spoke to newsmen after a closed door meeting with members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).

“I know that Gov Ortom is a very senior member of the party and he has said so repeatedly in print and has said to me one on one that he will not leave the APC unless he was pushed out.

“Since I assumed the chairmanship of this party along with my colleagues in the NWC, I know of a fact, that we have not shut out any governor and certainly not Gov Ortom.

“And in these days of social media, I will not be responding on the basis of rumor and unverified reports,” the APC chairman said.

On the party’s victory at the just concluded Ekiti governorship election, Oshiomhole said the APC was excited not because it won the election, but particularly with the process.

“We just want to make sure that the results of the election reflect the will of the people.

“You will also recall that there were issues about police deployment.

“I am very happy that all the commentators and observes including the Europain Union are happy that the election was free of violence and that the process was free and fair.

“We cannot ask for more, we celebrate not just the fact that we won, we celebrate that under President Muhammadu Buhari’s government, we now can see that election can be conducted without people being hospitalised,” he said.

He said party was very proud of its accomplishment at the election and had asked Dr Kayode Fayemi the governor-elect to reflect on all that should be reflected on so before he was sworn in.

He added that Ekiti people could not afford to wait any longer to see a renewed and refocused leadership that would ensure the quality of life of the people.

He further added that the party’s leadership had appealed to Fayemi to see the wisdom to carry along various shades of opinion and also to reach out to the opposition.

“Infact, democracy works well regardless of who wins. If the winner governs well for the benefit of all, indeed, the people can never lose in a democracy.

“And we trust that Fayemi will do all that, including addressing the huge liability,” the APC National Chairman stressed.
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