The governor said the allegation was false, misleading and a calculated attempt by the former Council Chairman to use his name to win cheap sympathy from the Atiku Abubakar’s camp.
Ortom, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Nathaniel Ikyur said the former Council Chairman had claimed in a press conference that the Abubakar’s supporters were targeted for assault, alleging that the Governor sponsored the youths, who allegedly manhandled him.
Ortom said he couldn’t have condescended so low to direct his supporters to molest anyone at the Gboko rally as violence has never been part of his style of politics.
The statement reads: “We read a statement on the social media and the latest press conference addressed by Joseph Asawa, the immediate past Chairman of Ushongo LGA, where he made spurious allegations against Governor Ortom.
“The former council chairman in his false outcries, arising from the incident during the successful flag-off of the Benue North West Senatorial campaign rally in Gboko earlier this week and in his press conference, claimed that Atiku Abubakar supporters were targeted for assault, alleged that the Governor sponsored youths who allegedly manhandled him.
“This is false and misleading. Governor Ortom could not have condescended so low to direct his supporters to molest anyone at the Gboko rally as violence has never been part of his style of politics. Asawa is a beneficiary of the Governor’s peaceful disposition as he had at different times intervened between the former Ushongo council chairman and either his legislative council members or other stakeholders when his tenure lasted.
“Ortom is a stickler for the rule of law. He has never used thugs either during elections or at any other time and so does not patronise them, contrary to the claims by the former council chairman.
“It is a fact that Governor Ortom facilitated the nomination and subsequent election of Hon. Asawa as the Executive Chairman of Ushongo in 2020. He will, therefore, won’t go back to destroy what he helped to build.
“From the outbursts of Asawa, it is obvious that he wanted to take advantage of the call for fairness and equity by the G-5 Governors, which Ortom is a member to be recognised by the camp of the presidential candidate of our party.
“We, therefore, urge the general public to discountenance the claims of the former Ushongo chairman that the thugs, who allegedly manhandled him during the campaign rally, were sent by the Governor.”
