Why I Resisted Pressure To Contest Against Ortom

Senator representing Benue North West in the National Assembly, Senator Emmanuel OrkerJev has disclosed that he resisted the pressure to contest the Senate position against Governor Samuel Ortom to ensure peaceful coexistence among the constituents.

Senator Jev who disclosed this while addressing supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in continuation of the governorship campaign tour in Naka, Gwer West local government area of Benue State also implored eligible voters not to make a mistake of voting APC candidates in the forthcoming general elections to inflict pains on the already suffering Nigerians.

The senator urged people of the area to vote for all PDP candidates to rescue and rebuild the nation from total collapse.

Earlier, Governor Ortom reiterated the zeal of his administration to complete all projects initiated by his administration before he exits office in May this year.

He said he will finish the projects despite the sustained attacks and killing of his people by suspected armed terrorists.

At the event, over 3, 225 supporters from other political parties, including the APC, defected to the PDP.

The governor lamented the continuous attack and killing of people of the state by invading terrorist herders, a development that has forced hordes of the peasant farmers to abandon their ancestral homes to stay in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps.

He expressed optimism that his successor, Rt. Hon. Titus Tyoapine Uba, who promised to strengthen the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law to check the excesses of the invaders would not leave any stone unturned to nip the situation in the bud.

He said, “the APC-led government has impoverished Nigerians, look at the prices of oil in the market, nothing is working, Nigerians are suffering and the only party that can salvage the country is PDP”.

The governor lauded traditional rulers in the local government for their support to his administration in the fight against the Fulani conquest agenda.

He maintained that it was fr this reason that he promulgated the anti open grazing law to curtail attacks and killing, adding that because of the law, Benue has today become a reference point among other states of the federation.

He noted that if not for his firm stands against the forceful take over of the land of the people, the herders would have overrun the state now.

Paramount ruler of Gwer West, the Ter Nagi, Chief Daniel Abomtse, who spoke through a Second Class Chief, Lawrence Jir, urged the governor to beef up security in his domain to guard against fresh threats of attack on his subjects by the herdsmen whom he said are already laying siege in the local government.