Former Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has explained why he provided his vehicle to the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, during the latter’s visit to the state last Tuesday.
Ortom, through his media aide, Terver Akase, said it would have been petty for him to refuse to assist Obi, a former governor and presidential candidate, with transportation during his visit.
He was reacting to an allegation by Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia that he was behind Obi’s visit to the state.
Ortom said providing the vehicle was simply an act of courtesy to a fellow Nigerian leader who was in Benue on a humanitarian mission.
“Statesman who understands the demands of public service and the obligations that come with leadership. It is therefore both ridiculous and shameful for anyone to attempt to criminalise or politicise the simple act of making a vehicle available to a fellow Nigerian leader.
“Peter Obi is a former governor, a presidential candidate and one of the most prominent political figures in the country. Imagine how it would have sounded if Chief Ortom had refused to assist him with transportation while he was in Benue on a humanitarian mission to visit internally displaced persons.
“Such a refusal would rightly have been viewed as petty, inhospitable and beneath the dignity of a former governor. Indeed, extending such a courtesy should ordinarily have been the responsibility of the Benue State Government itself, given the status of the visitor.
“That the Alia administration is now trying to make a controversy out of what was merely a humane, courteous and statesmanlike gesture exposes the poverty of its argument and the desperation behind its propaganda. In other climes, leaders are commended for extending courtesies across political divides, not vilified for doing so.
“The attempt to portray an act of hospitality as evidence of wrongdoing is both intellectually dishonest and politically immature.”
Ortom denies being ‘double-faced’
Responding to the allegation that he was being “double-faced”, Ortom described the claim as “laughable”, saying he was a man of his word and would always stand by any candidate he publicly declared support for.
He noted that he publicly declared his support for Obi in 2023 but had since declared his support for President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, and his predecessor, Samuel Ortom, have traded words over Obi’s failed visit to the state.
Obi visited Makurdi last Tuesday with plans to proceed to Yelewata for a condolence visit to the families of victims of the June 2025 massacre.
His convoy was, however, blocked by some youths around Gyado Villa, a few kilometres from the airport.
Following the incident, Alia, through his Chief Press Secretary, Kula Tersoo, on Friday accused Ortom of facilitating Obi’s visit to the state.
Tersoo alleged that the former governor masterminded the visit by the NDC presidential candidate and claimed that Ortom, despite publicly declaring support for President Bola Tinubu, was actually working for Obi ahead of the 2027 elections.
Alia’s aide questions Ortom’s support for Tinubu
According to Tersoo, the state government’s investigation indicated that Ortom provided the vehicle used to convey Obi from the Makurdi Airport on the day of the visit.
“Benue State Government had commenced an investigation into the alleged incident, and the information obtained so far indicated that the vehicle used to convey Obi from the Makurdi Airport was linked to former Governor Ortom.
“Obi was seen driving in Mr Samuel Ortom’s Sports Utility Vehicle, Toyota Land Cruiser, with registration number ABUJA: GWA 608 BT.”
Tersoo said the details of the vehicle were obtained through the Federal Road Safety Corps vehicle information records.
He said, “Investigation linked the vehicle to Samuel Ortom. The vehicle was registered in his name and associated with his Judges Quarters address in Makurdi. The report also identified the vehicle’s chassis details, application date and other registration information.
“Other details of the vehicle, as obtained from a basic check across the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) vehicle information report, include:
“The question is, how can someone who publicly says he is working for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu make his vehicle available for the use of another presidential candidate?”
Ortom, however, maintained that providing his vehicle to Obi was a gesture of courtesy and should not be interpreted as evidence of political support for the NDC candidate.
