I’m Going Nowhere, Ortom Says After APC Meeting

The Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, on Thursday said he is still flying the flag of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He made the statement shortly after a closed door meeting with the national chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole at the party’s secretariat in Abuja.

According to him, he was given a red card by a senator and leader of his party in the state, George Akume, but has been corrected that the decision of the party leadership at the national level is superior to any individual.

Speaking after the meeting, Ortom said, “I was given red card by the senator who is their leader in Benue state and I took it as serious enough.

“But the leadership of the party told me that the decision of the party leadership at the national level is superior to any individual and I think that is good enough.

”We have spoken to him (Oshiomole), he has spoken to me, stakeholders are going to be spoken to and that is where I belong. We have not concluded the matter, it is an ongoing process because I have always stood for peace and I always want peace to prevail.

“I am here in APC, a member of APC, I am still flying the flag of APC and I only said I was given red card. I’ve been corrected by the national secretariat.”

Speaking on the issue, Oshiomhole said, “APC does not have a red card in our cupboard so we can’t give what we don’t have. We recognised that in several states there could be legitimate legal issues, there could be agreements, disagreements, some contestations and this we are familiar with.

“Governor Ortom is not going anywhere, he is a very prominent member of our party, we appreciate his leadership in Benue and we will do everything possible to help those who have issues to have those issues resolved.

“There are the evidence(s) of the fact that we are a free democratic party and when leaders have disagreements, our responsibility is to help them to find common ground and the issues in Benue are not so fundamental that we cannot resolve.

“We have made it confident that we would resolve them and Senator Akume is a very respected leader of the party, a former governor, he will recognise the need for peace and we have what it takes to make peace.

“In Benue, we are going for a win win solution. Anything we would do, we would do provided, the only thing we will not accept is anybody leaving the house that we have built together, that we are committed to and I think the government’s statement is clear,” he said.