Benue Election: Ortom Dedicates Victory To Supporters, Extends Hand Of Collaboration
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Governor Samuel Ortom has dedicated his victory to his supporters and the people of Benue State for re-electing him for a second tenure.
Ortom, while addressing a press conference at the government house in Makurdi on Sunday, promised to set up a truth and reconciliation committee for genuine peace and development across the state, as extended a hand of collaboration to his opponents to join him in building the state.
“I dedicate the victory to the good people of Benue state for standing with me, especially all members of the PDP. I call on all those who contested, to join me so that together we shall build the Benue of our collective dream.”
Ortom was today declared winner of the March 9th governorship election after weeks of many political face-offs with his former political associates in the APC and now enjoins them to let peace reign.
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“I know that partisan politics is over now and it’s about governance. The platform I secured to become an elected governor of Benue state is the PDP. Automatically, I have become the governor of all political parties in Benue state.”
“As we celebrate, let us engage in peaceful behaviours and reconciliation. Avoid use of hurtful and insulting political words. I will set up a peace reconciliatory committee so we can find ways to forgive one another.”
Meanwhile, governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Emmanuel Jime, has declared that he will approach the election petition tribunal to reclaim his allegedly stolen mandate by incumbent governor, Samuel Ortom.
Jime who spoke exclusively to Channels Television alleged that a lot of votes secured by governor Ortom, were in clear violation of the electoral act which states that only votes captured by the card reader should be allowed, accusing the PDP of massive vote rigging.
The returning officer, Professor Maimako Sebastian while declaring governor Samuel Ortom winner said, Ortom polled 434,473 votes to beat Jime who got 345,155 votes with a lead margin of 89,318 votes after the final result of the final ballot.