Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has released an emergency statement debunking the rumors making rounds that he was defecting from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
The Governor who made the clarification on Tuesday, described the rumour as baseless when he addressed the Benue State APC expanded caucus meeting, in Makurdi.
He urged his party members to discountenance the rumour, maintaining that the false story was coming from his political enemies, who thought his position was a stumbling block to their personal ambitions.
“I remain a member of the All Progressives Congress. I have no intention of joining another political party. The rumour that I plan to dump APC to PDP is the handiwork of my detractors who want me to leave the party so that they can come in.”
Ortom also noted that the anti-open grazing law enacted in the State, had been copied worldwide and in Nigeria, disclosing that Northern Governors had also resolved to adopt it as a law in their respective States.
On the herdsmen killings in the State, the Governor noted that crisis did not start with the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, adding that, “even in my days as Minister the crisis was there, so it would be wrong for anyone to say that Buhari started it.”