The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Benue State, Chief Dr Samuel Ortom, has stated that his current political travails could be likened to the Biblical saga of Saul and David.
He spoke when landlords and other groups in Akpehe, a suburb in Makurdi, the state capital hosted him this evening.
Chief Dr Ortom stated that just as King Saul sought to eliminate David when he discovered that he had been anointed king forcing him to seek refuge elsewhere, Governor Gabriel Suswam was doing everything to frustrate God’s purpose for his life but that he would fail like Saul did.
The former Minister of State, Industry, Trade, and Investment said God had lifted him from humble beginnings and brought him to where he was at the moment so that he could reckon with His grace and wipe away the tears of the people.
He pledged that if given the mandate he would rule with the fear and entrench core values such as transparency, justice, honesty, accountability, selflessness, forgiveness, reconciliation, peace and unity which shall engender development.
According to Chief Dr Ortom he had never amassed illegal wealth throughout his public service career at the local, state and national levels but has been able to establish his business outfits from bank loans.
The APC candidate pledged to implement the party’s free primary and secondary education policy as enshrined in its manifesto assuring that he would generate funds by boosting the revenue base of the state through public private partnerships.
He said the state was endowed with hydro and coal resources which investors could exploit to generate energy to power industries and provide jobs, wealth and opportunities adding that his government would create an enabling environment for such to happen.
Leaders of various groups who spoke including Sam Chire, Iorkyar Ajoko, I J Tamen, Bessie Awaka, Terkura Time, and Paul Ishom assured Chief Dr Ortom of their support and requested the provision of electricity, water, roads, as well as a school and hospital in the area.
A Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, chieftain, Mr Solomon Gbev, enjoined voters to vote for credible candidates such as Chief Dr Ortom in the forthcoming polls and not just members of their parties.