The immediate past Governor of Benue State, Chief Samuel Ortom, has said that the state does not require to be made ungovernable for anyone to win elections.
Besides, the former governor reprimanded traditional rulers in the state who have joined politics and endorsed politicians for various elective seats to stay away or risk legal action.
Chief Ortom spoke at his Makurdi residence while addressing his former aides who paid him a solidarity visit.
He urged PDP supporters intending to contest in the forthcoming general elections not to be intimidated by the antics of the ruling party, adding that any attempt by the APC in the state to rig the election will be resisted.
“And I don’t think in my own polling unit, in my own council ward and local government in Guma, I can’t see anybody coming to stop me from voting for the candidate of my choice, and that is what will happen in Benue State, and nobody will be allowed to rig any election.
“If you employ INEC people or security agencies to rig the election, we will wear the same trousers, you can imagine two people wearing one pair of trousers, it’s not a threat”.
“We do not need any chaotic environment or situation to win an election in Benue State, if God says it’s you, nobody will stop you. So all of you who are contesting elective positions, don’t be intimidated, go out and contest when the time comes, we will be there.
“Traditional rulers in Benue State should stop indulging in politics; it is against the law. Traditional rulers are the custodians of our culture, not just culture, but the people.
“Traditional rulers going to adopt people as candidates in elections is wrong, and they must stop it. If they don’t stop, we are going to take them to court because the law prohibits traditional rulers from participating in politics.
“They can only bring all political parties together if they like and make them as fathers of the land, but where they decide to abandon others and work with others, it’s wrong.
“So I am appealing to our politicians who are thirsty, infact some of them are politicians, they contested elections and they know how it was, and most of them lost, they are now traditional rulers, they should embrace all the political parties whether PDP, APC, ADC or APGA and if they don’t do it, they are the ones creating problems for us in Benue State.
He advised youths in the state to stop insulting elders using social media, but rather be creative and engage in a useful venture that would make them achieve fame as well as promote unity and progress of the state.
