A non-partisan organization, the Intellectual Forum for Development (IFD) comprising seasoned academics and intellectuals from eleven tertiary institutions across Benue State, boosted Chief Dr Samuel Ortom’s 2015 governorship bid with a pledge to support him.
They made the pledge during a courtesy call on the Minister of State, Industry, Trade and Investment at his Judges Quarters residence in Makurdi.
The organization noted that the Supervising Aviation Minister was a credible candidate that will provide selfless leadership to turn around fortunes for the better and place Benue State on the path of accelerated development.
The IFD draws its membership from University of Agriculture, Benue State University, University of Mkar, College of Education, Katsina Ala, College of Education Oju, College of Advanced and Professional Studies Makurdi, Akperan Orshi College of Agriculture Yandev, Fidei Polytechnic Gboko, Benue Polytechnic Ogbokolo, Okaha Polytechnic Oju and Immaculate College of Education Makurdi.
The Governorship aspirant was in company of his wife, Eunice, friends and the Director General of his organization, Mr.Tsenongo Abancha
The Convener and Chairman of the Forum, ProfessorJoseph Alakali said they were at Chief Dr. Ortom’s residence to pledge their support for his ambition to lead Benue State in 2015.
He stated that although the Forum was non-partisan, it came to openly pledge support for Chief Dr. Ortom’s gubernatorial ambition after it had carried out comparative analysis of all the aspirants in Benue State and found the Minister to be the most credible.
Professor Alkali stated that the research was based on indices such as honesty, trustworthiness, hard work, prudence, resilience, capacity to develop Benue State and fight unemployment through industrialization, genuine fear of God and service to humanity.
He said the group found out that the Benue people based their assessment of Chief Dr. Ortom on the number of industries the Minister has established in the state which have employed hundreds of Benue indigenes.
According to him the people were also happy that his Oracle Business Limited Foundation has made provision for treatment of victims of snake bites and hernia in the state and several acts of compassion for the poor.
Chief Dr Ortom’s acceptability by the Benue people in Zones A, B and C, as well as contribution to the employment of Benue indigenes at the national level were other factors that endeared the minister to the people, the organization’s chairman maintained.
In his response the aspirant thanked the group for their unsolicited support which he said was God’s way of confirming His promise to raise support for the realization of his ambition.
According to him many groups and individuals in Benue have continued to sign up to support his ambition, giving similar reasons advanced by IFD for their action.
Chief Dr Ortom pledged that if given the mandate he would bring the fear of God in the art of governance through the entrenchment of the core values of truthfulness, selflessness, honesty, dedication, transparency, accountability, fairness, forgiveness and reconciliation.
These he said would engender development because peace and unity of purpose would prevail in the State.