Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Benue State, Chief Dr Samuel Ortom has disclosed that he had already demonstrated his capability to deliver if elected governor through his socio-economic contributions to the development of the state.
He spoke at rallies organized by the APC for its national, state and governorship candidates for the Benue North East Senatorial District in Vandeikya and Adikpo.
About 5,000 PDP members led by former council chairman in Vandeikya, Mr Dominic Ihyuman as well as former member of the House of Representatives for Kwande Hon Terwase Orbunde decamped into the APC in the two places.
Chief Dr Ortom stated that the Oracle conglomerate which he established has generated over 400 jobs as well as wealth for numerous people assuring that he would do more if given the mandate.
According to him although the current Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, government in the state had received the largest amount of money since the creation of the state there was little to show for it as the larger part of the state’s resources had been diverted to private pockets.
He said the current hardship in the state on account of non payment of salaries and pensions would be aggravated from 2016 when payment of bonds taken by the state would be due and appealed to the electorate to change their fortunes for the better by voting for the APC which he said would tackle the challenge.
The former Minister of State, Industry, Trade, and Investment assured that as governor he would deploy his enormous experience at the local, state, national and international levels to initiate creative ways of generating revenue to fund workers’ welfare and the reopening of closed schools and other social services that have been affected by bad governance.
Senator Barnabas Gemade who is seeking reelection on the party’s platform stated that he had utilized his mandate effectively by attracting dividends of democracy including roads, water, education, and other projects to his constituency and solicited one more term.
Member of the House of Representatives for Vandeikya/Konshisha constituency, Mr Iorwase Hembe said the Suswam administration had incurred a debt of over N42 billion and thrown the state in a deep mess and urged that if Governor Gabriel Suswam and his party was voted out the state would be set on the path of recovery.