David Mark Just Jealous Of My Rising Profile, Ortom Says

THE WHISTLER recalls that Ortom, who just recently shared wheelbarrow to youth in his state, had received heavy backlash from the former senate president.

Mark, who earlier graced the commissioning of Governor Nyesom Wike’s remodelled Brick House in Rivers State, had pounced on his state governor, saying “Whilst people are here commissioning roads, commissioning projects and all other development projects brought to Rivers state, in my home state (Benue), they are giving out wheel barrows to empower people.”

The statement, which obviously did not go down well with Ortom, prompted the governor to accuse the former senate president of jealousy.

“That is outright falsehood. There is no iota of truth. It is meant to scandalise, blackmail and to reduce my rising profile in Benue because of achievements we have recorded during these two years,” said state after today’s national economic council (NEC) meeting in Abuja at the State House.

“When you hear someone like David Mark, who is supposed to be an elder statesman, go to make false propaganda against people who are supposed to be his subjects, I used to regard him as an elder, but it’s unfortunate he is telling lies.

“Those wheelbarrows were brought to us by National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), to be distributed to displaced people who need them.

“So, it was just meant to blackmail me because PDP in Benue are still dreaming, including David Mark, that I am governor and I won the election.

“I left them (PDP) because of the injustice they did to me and I came to APC and found a platform. The people accepted me and I won. They are out to blackmail me and it will not work because there is no iota of truth.

“On May 22, I invited all Benue stakeholders, David Mark was invited, and I was given standing ovation. That alone is an indication that Benue people are pleased with me in all sectors despite all the challenges, especially in funding.

“I have cleared arrears of salaries. These people are just jealous, David Mark is jealous and all his cohorts are jealous. They left Benue state and went to Rivers and met and came and disturb us isn Benue state. Let them come to Benue state,” the governor said.