Benue State Governor-elect, Dr Samuel Ortom, is disappointed in the incumbent, Gabriel Suswam, for almost truncating his ambition.
He called the governor’s action betrayal.
Ortom, who was given the cold shoulder in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before ending up in the All Progressives Party (APC), told a delegation of APC leaders from Gboko Local Government area of the state yesterday how Suswam allegedly set out to “undermine my emergence as governor.”
He said he was pained because of the crucial role he personally played in ensuring Suswam’s emergence as governor in 2007.
His words:”When our leader, Senator George Akume, directed us on what to do in the run up to the 2007 governorship election I, alongside others, worked tirelessly to ensure that Suswam became governor.
“Even though I am his senior in age and politics, I never abdicated my role as a dedicated party leader.
“When I served under him as national auditor at the PDP headquarters and later as Minister, I never betrayed him nor worked at cross purposes with his intentions.
“I was therefore saddened when he worked to undermine my ambition to be governor of Benue state.”
Dr Ortom also spoke on the eight Sport Utility Vans (SUVs) which Suswam recently gave to him, his wife, the deputy governor-elect and his wife.
He said the vehicles were statutory obligations of the outgoing administration to the incoming government.
He pledged to discharge his duties in the best interest of the majority of the people and govern with the fear of God.
The Gboko APC chairman and other leaders of the party who spoke pledged their commitment to the success of the incoming administration.
Gboko local government returned 55002 votes, the highest by any local government area, for Ortom in the April 11th elections.
Ortom had, earlier on Thursday, given an insight into what his government would look like.
His cabinet will comprise no more than 13 commissioners and 15 advisers.
This, according to him, is to save costs and ensure better funding of ministries and agencies.
Receiving representatives of groups in his Makurdi residence, Dr. Ortom said that apart from propelling the state towards greater development, he would also strive to empower many people of the state who would surpass him in all aspects of life.
He said that after God has turned his life around, he owes the people of the state a responsibility to touch as many lives as possible.
He recalled that while serving as a local government chairman way back in 1992, he received a revelation that he would one day become governor and since then he had been preparing for the office.
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