Former Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has defended his decision to provide his vehicle to Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), during Obi’s recent visit to the state.
Speaking through his media aide Terver Akase, Ortom said it would have been “petty and undignified” to refuse such assistance to a fellow national leader.
“Peter Obi is a former governor, a presidential candidate and one of the most prominent political figures in the country. Imagine how it would have sounded if Chief Ortom had refused to assist him with transportation while he was in Benue on a humanitarian mission to visit internally displaced persons,” Akase stated.
Ortom’s clarification followed accusations by Governor Hyacinth Alia that he facilitated Obi’s visit, despite publicly declaring support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.
Akase dismissed the allegation as “ridiculous and shameful,” insisting that extending courtesy across political divides is a mark of statesmanship, not evidence of double-dealing.Ortom further described claims of being “double-faced” as laughable, noting that while he supported Obi in 2023, he has since openly declared support for Tinubu.
The controversy stems from Obi’s attempted visit to Yelewata for a condolence mission, which was disrupted when his convoy was blocked by youths near Makurdi.
Governor Alia’s aide later alleged that Obi was transported in Ortom’s Toyota Land Cruiser, registered in Ortom’s name.
Ortom countered that the administration’s attempt to politicise a simple act of hospitality only revealed “the desperation behind its
propaganda.”
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