Ortom Reacts To Resignation Of Chief Of Staff, Others

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom said some of his political appointees were asked to resign so as to focus on their 2023 political ambitions.
He said it was better for them to resign so there would not be an issue of distraction in dispensing governance to the good people of the state.
The Tide source recalls ahead of the 2023 general elections, Chief of Staff to the Benue State Governor, Terwase Orbunde and four commissioners have resigned from their positions.
The commissioners include; Information, Culture and Tourism, Mrs Ngunan Addingi; Environment and Water Resources, Engr Dondo Ahire; Education, Professor Dennis Ityavyar and that of Youth and Sports, Comrade Ojemba Ojotu.
The former Chief of staff, Orbunde, former Environment commissioner, and the former Education commissioner are plotting to succeed Ortom.
While Addingi and her counterpart in Youth and Sports, Ojotu, are warming up for the House of Representatives in their various localities.
Also, Terver Akase, Media aide to Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, at a press conference held in Makurdi on Wednesday, said he resigned from his position to focus on his governorship ambition.
Akase stated that he resigned in line with the directive given by the governor that all appointees seeking political offices should resign no later than the end of September.
In total, The Tide source gathered that about fourteen political appointees have resigned from the Benue Governor’s cabinet since he gave the directive.
Reacting to the development during a chat with journalists on Friday, Governor Ortom said he needed to ensure his administration finished strong so those seeking elective positions needed to give way so new appointees could be brought on board.
He said they had done the right thing by resigning and that if his government finished strong it would also make their political ambitions easy.
“They (appointees) are good people. I gave the directive that those who want to contest elections should resign and that’s what they have done. They have done the right thing by resigning.
“I will replace those who have resigned so that we can finish strong. If we finish strong, it becomes easier for whoever is nominated in my party (PDP) for any elective position to win the election,” Ortom said