Ibekimi Oriamaja Reports
Thousands of youths and women marched in Benue State’s four LGAs of Makurdi, Guma, Gwer East, and Gwer West on Wednesday in support of Governor Samuel Ortom’s administration and his Senate bid in 2023.
The youths and women who gathered at the Benue Peoples House in Makurdi, the state capital, pledged to ensure that the governor is elected to represent the Benue North-West Senatorial district in the National Assembly in 2023.
In his remarks, the group’s leader, Engr Conrad Utaan, stated that they were firmly behind Ortom, emphasizing that the governor was the people’s hope.
“Your Excellency, our Governor and our Leader, we have come here not for politics, but to tell you that the entire MINDA, Makurdi, Guma, Gwer, Gwer-West, and by extension the entire Benue State is 100 percent behind you,” he said. We’ll be there for you. Your friends will become our friends, and your enemies will become our enemies. We will support anyone you support, and if you withdraw your support, we will withdraw our own.”
In his response, Governor Ortom stated that as the democratically elected Governor of Benue State, he would continue to do the will of the people.
“I am a democratically elected Governor, and because democracy is about the people, I will do what the people want,” he said. I am encouraged, and I want to assure you that nothing will deter me from standing for the truth by the grace of God.
“I appreciate everyone, and I want to assure you that I will never abandon you.” As your leader, I will continue to be there for you. That you have shown your support for me, and it is my duty, by the grace of Almighty God and the powers bestowed upon me by Almighty God, to ensure that I support you.”
He maintained that “democracy that is not founded on the rule of law is doomed to fail, as is the case in Nigeria today.”
Governor Ortom thanked the youths for their solidarity and support, and assured them that only God has the power to prevent him from going to the Senate.
“You have the authority to send me to the Senate. It is not a single person. They have no power, they can say whatever they want, but nobody can stop me, and by the grace of God, I will represent you in the Senate,” he stated emphatically.
