Ortom Denies Replacement Of PDP Gov’ship Candidate In Benue

The immediate past governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, has dismissed a report suggesting that the Benue chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) plots to replace its governorship candidate, Michael Aondoakaa (SAN) with the executive secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Dr Pius Akutah.

In a statement issued by the former governor’s media aide, Zege Paul Terhide, on Friday, Ortom described the report as false, misleading and a deliberate distortion of the facts.

The statement explained that Ortom alongside the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Patrick Abba Moro, and the PDP governorship candidate, Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN, met with some prominent Benue sons, including Chief Simon Shango, Prof. Iyorwuese Hagher, Dr. Pius Akutah, Engr. Emmanuel Ameh and Dr. Matthias Byuan.

According to Ortom, the meeting was part of ongoing consultations and engagements aimed at building a broad strategic alliance of Benue stakeholders for the greater good of the state, “At no time during the meeting was the replacement of Chief Aondoakaa as the PDP governorship candidate discussed, contemplated or placed on the agenda” he stated.

On his part, the executive secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Dr. Pius Ukeyima Akutah, denied reports linking him to alleged secret talks concerning the governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State.

In a statement issued by his principal private adviser, Comrade Atir Solomon Faeren, Akutah described the report, attributed to an anonymous online platform, as “false, malicious and unverified.”