Former Minister of Interior, Patrick Abba Moro,
has lashed out at Governor Samuel Ortom,
saying he does not deserve a second term.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stalwart
described Ortom’s utterance about second term
as an affront to the sensibilities of the citizenry
in Benue State.
This is contained in a statement he personally
signed and made available to newsmen on
Sunday.


It reads: “It saddens me always when I hear my
governor, Samuel Ortom talk of a second term
when I am sure he has not been able to even
convince himself that he has creditably
discharged the mandate given him by the people
in his first term in office. It smacks of mediocrity
and political naivety to even begin to talk of a
second term in the midterm of a first term.
“Perhaps, it is instructive to inform Governor
Ortom that Benue State people are suffering. The
people are hungry. Public servants have turned
into permanent farmers of cassava, yam, etc.
Governor Ortom’s government owes workers 11
months salaries, the concomitance of which is
that, workers cannot pay school fees; cannot
afford to pay hospital bills and are dying in their
numbers from simple and curable ailments. Even
pensioners engaged in endless verifications are
dying in their numbers.


“From where I come, there is no sign that
government is in place in Makurdi. Schools are
on permanent holiday, no thanks to strikes by
teachers occasioned by non-payment of salaries
and allowances and infrastructures are in serious
state of decay. Armed bandits are on the prowl,
killing people by the day unhindered,” Moro
remarked.


“The questions on the lips of keen observers of
the pathetic Benue situation are: Does Benue no
longer qualify and collect monthly statutory
allocations from the Federation Account? What
has the Benue State Government done with the
various loans that have been said to have been
taken so far? What happened to the various
bailouts doled out by the Federal Government?
“What happened to the Paris Club refund? What
is happening to internally generated revenues in
Benue State? These are questions begging for
answers. Yet, all that we hear from Governor
Ortom day in, day out is the vaulting crave for a
second term even when there are clear evidences
of crash mismanagement of a first term on his
lap due to inept leadership.
“The reasonable thing for Governor Ortom to do
is to come up with answers to these questions
rather than seek the face of God for a second
term. It is ironic that in the face of monumental
infrastructural deficit in Benue today, Governor
Ortom’s Oracle Press, Ortom’s Oracle Farms, etc
are blossoming.


“Maybe what we demand of Governor Ortom is
for him to publish for all to see all monies that
have accrued to Benue State since he assumed
office two years ago and tell us how he has
deployed them. Let us know that it is lack of
fund that is hampering him from discharging his
responsibilities and obligations to Benue people.”
The PDP chieftain said it was unfortunate and
disappointing that some misguided youths could
come out to rally support for Ortom’s second
term bid, when it was obvious the governor’s
first term has undermined and compromised the
future of the youths in Benue state.
“Have these youths paused to ask whether the
Benue State University, Makurdi is in session and
if not, why? Are the Benue State Polytechnic
Ugbokolo, College of Education, Katsina-Ala,
College of Education, Oju, College of Agriculture,
Yandev and others in session and functioning
properly? Yet Youths? Whose future has been
endangered by Governor Ortom’s first term are
clamouring for a second term for him? God have
mercy!


“Perhaps, someone should tell Governor Ortom
the home bitter truth, that it will be easier for the
Camel to pass through the eye of the needle
than for Benue people, in this present misery to
indulge him with a second term. Governor Ortom
should know that the same God whose face he is
seeking for a second term also created we, the
other Benue people. And He is watching Governor
Ortom’s first term.” http://www.benuenews.com.ng/2017/07/you-have-done-nothing-to-deserve-second.html?utm_source=&utm_medium=facebook&m=1

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