By Amaka Agbu
Governor of Benue State, Dr. Samuel Ortom, has declared that Nigeria has since 2015 ceased to be a country where equity, justice and fairness were promoted.
He asserted that until those virtues were embraced nationally, every citizen would remain entangled and never be free.
Ortom made these assertions at the commissioning of Tombia Road, Ndoni Street and Amaji Street in New GRA Phase 2, in Obio/Akpor Local Governmebt Area in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.
He said there was no security in Nigeria and that the economy was also in bad shape “because of the depreciation the Naira has suffered under the leadership of the APC.”
He further lamented the growing unemployment rate in the country that gave impetus to youth restiveness tagged #EndSARS protest.
“Today, there is no more employment for our youths. That gave rise to the youth restiveness agitation called EndSars Protest.
I think any right thinking man should not be thinking about leaving PDP for any other party or even the ruling party. “We cannot be one party state.
The PDP in 2015 did not suppress the opposition party to turn Nigeria to be one party state.
Then, that is not democracy anymore and so we want to appreciate governor Wike for standing as the beckons of the PDP.
“Wike is a very strong voice not just in Rivers State but in the whole country. He is a courageous and fearless leader, who is out for equity, fairness and justice.
And that is what we need in our country today. “As at today, the ruling party, has not given us equity, fairness and justice.
That is why we are having problems in this country,” he said. Governor Ortom said when PDP was the ruling party, it never suppressed other parties but APC was driving the country along one party line and urged Nigerians to resist that.
Associating with Wike, he said, was rewarding because, aside the fact that it helped facilitated his return to PDP and got its ticket for second term as governor, he got morale and financial assistance for the Internally Displaced People (IDPs) when Benue State was under attacks from herdsmen.
“There came a time when I was an outcast and my people in Benue State were outcast. Nobody cared to visit for fear of persecution.
We were like the lepers in the Bible. “Yet, Wike stood up and came all the way to Benue State to see how we were fairing.
We had over 500,000 IDPs in camps then. It was not easy to fend for these people. Wike came with very distinguished leaders from Rivers State.
“He gave us support that we never expected more than any other support, including what others did.
We appreciate it and pray that such a thing should not come to Rivers State,” he prayed.
On his part during the commissioning, Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike challenged the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to showcase development projects they had delivered to the people in their various states to prove that they also meant well for the people.
The governor said it was only PDP governors that were developing and delivering infrastructural projects in their various states.
According to him, these projects had continued to improve the well-being of the people to affirm that development was happening only in PDP controlled states. “Some few weeks ago, I was invited by the governor of Benue State to come and commission some projects.
I went and I did commission not less than three road projects. “They received us very well and I did say to him that the people of Rivers State will also like him to come and also commission projects in the state.
So that Nigerians will know that the party in opposition is the party that means well for the development of this country.
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“We challenge the ruling party to tell their states to roll out projects and invite people to come and commission them,” the governor continued.
Governor Wike described his Benue State counterpart as a man committed to the development of his people, forthright, courageous, and stands in defense of the wellbeing of Benue people.
He explained that when Governor Ortom was being persecuted, and made to pass through intimidation, he stood firm, and stayed with the people, which justified the decision he associates with him.
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