For avid followers of Nigeria’s sociopolitics, the name Samuel Ortom regularly hums in the ear like the droning rhythm of the busy bee. The man who has been governor of Benue State for almost eight years, is outspoken, fearless, even daring. He is never shy of intruding into the tooth-picking, complacent comfort zones of those whose actions and inactions, have …

Benue State Governor, Mr Samuel Ortom on Tuesday appealed to those he may have offended in the course of his service as governor of the state to forgive him. This is as he declared his decision to withdraw the case he instituted at the Election Petition Tribunal where he was challenging the victory of the Senator-elect of Benue North West …

You have to give it to Samuel Ioraer Ortom, governor of the north central state of Benue. Benue is the geopolity which savours the bragging rights of being the “food basket” of the nation. For emphasis, you are embraced into Makurdi, capital of the state, by a humongous artistic simulation of the agrarian essence of the state, at the triangular …

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom is not taking his incumbency for granted. Yes, he has been helmsman of his state for nearly eight years now and won the hearts of admirers, while also courting the bile of critics. There are two sides of a coin and both reactions are to be expected of every public office holder. Beyond his subsisting …

Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has said that the group of five governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who are demanding the resignation of the party’s National Chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu have not agreed to support the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. It was reported that the group (formerly known as G-5, …

Samuel Ioraer Ortom’s name is well-known in Nigeria’s subsisting democratic dispensation. The Benue State helmsman is something of a “comrade governor”, who is well-spoken, vocal and an activist. He is never shy of baring his mind on issues of fairness, equity and justice. He reminds you of Adams Oshiomhole, the khaki-wearing ex-trade unionist, turned governor of Edo State. His voice …

On Monday, 22nd November 2021, in the new capacity-filled Banquet Hall  of the Government House Makurdi, I took the oath of office as Chief of Staff, (CoS) to Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom. It was administered by the governor and I assumed office as his new CoS. I succeeded the former holder of the office who had resigned his …

Two incidents in the not too distant past mitigated my physical participation in open-field, free-to-air political events, notably rallies and conventions, in recent times. At a rally of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, years ago, I left the venue of the event, relatively lighter than I went. My prized mobile phone had been pinched …

Samuel Ioraer Ortom, the helmsman of Benue State, is human afterall. He had endured a truly torrid season where his ears had been relentlessly barraged by news and reports of cold-blooded killings of his constituents. He had wept his fill, his eyes periodically reddened by grief. In Mchia and Iorja communities in Mbagber in Logo Local Government Area (LGA), a …

The Federal Government is frustrating efforts by Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom to access funds meant to clear the backlog of salaries and pension of state and local government workers in the state, the state government has alleged. Featuring on current affairs programme of Brothers FM 90.5FM, ‘Burning Issues’ on Monday, the Governor’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr …