Governor Ortom: Why I dumped APC for PDP

Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom on Monday commenced his re-election campaign, saying that he defected to the Peoples Democratic Party because it is the only party that can accommodate his administration’s policies.

Ortom, who spoke at the IBB Square, regretted that officials of the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government had one time or the other frustrated all efforts of his administration to find lasting solution to the constant clashes between farmers and herdsmen.

He said, “Today, as we stand on the threshold of history to seek the renewal of our mandate – on a different and better platform – it is important to account for the mandate earlier given, as a basis for its renewal that we seek in the forthcoming elections.

“While it is on record that we secured the endorsement of the All Progressives Congress for the 2019 general elections as sole governorship candidate, we had to abandon that platform in search of one that offers more accommodation and support for our policies, especially the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law 2017.

“The Benue masses on whose behalf and on whose behest the Ranching Law was passed and signed into law by our administration, are witnesses to various attempts by highly-placed officials in the APC-led Federal Government to frustrate an imperative legislation aimed at finding lasting peace between farmers and herders in our state.

“It became pertinent to make a bold political decision on the choice of platform that would not compromise our stance on a matter so key to the Benue people. That platform became very easily the Peoples Democratic Party.”