Terwase Orbunde’s betrayal and blackmail of Gov Ortom

Erstwhile chief of staff to Benue State Governor, Pastor Terwase Orbunde will address a press conference in Abuja tomorrow Thursday 28th April, 2022 where he will throw all manner of insults at his former boss, Governor Samuel Ortom.

Ortom’s only ‘sin’ against Orbunde is that the Governor refused to impose him on PDP as candidate of the party. Orbunde wanted the Governor to reverse the decision of stakeholders from the 14 local government areas of Tiv land which zoned the governorship seat to Jechira. He expected the Governor to turn into a tyrant and command all other aspirants to step down for him. He didn’t want any consensus process that would benefit another person.

Prior to the commencement of the consensus arrangement, he had told anyone who cared to listen that he was the “anointed one”. He already began to move with an air of a man who was “anointed” to succeed his boss. Orbunde would call someone and tell him to better join his campaign trail now or regret later. Yes, that was the height of his arrogance! His supporters intimidated anyone who chose not to pitch tent with them. They saw him as the governor-in-waiting.

Do you remember Orbunde’s statement during Patrick Newman’s burial at Shangev-ya in Kwande local government area on 26th November 2017? He tagged critics of Governor Ortom as people with rotten teeth? Yes, he did call Benue people who hold alternative views as having decayed teeth. His words:

“This government was handed over to us like a sick sister. There is no money. The governor cannot purposely hold salaries in order to be receiving insults from people with rotten and decayed teeth?”

Before the consensus arrangement, Terwase Orbunde had asked the Governor on many occasions to make him the sole aspirant for the PDP governorship ticket. Gov Ortom’s refusal to anoint him was the beginning of his resentment and frustration.

If there is one man who should be eternally grateful to Governor Ortom, that person is Terwase Orbunde. The Governor had to pacify his MINDA people to make Orbunde his chief of staff for two terms.

In any case, that is the personality of the man Orbunde. He is known for bitting the finger that fed him. He did likewise to Senator Gabriel Suswam. Recollect that Suswam made him Kwande council Chairman. Yet, he was the same man who impelled the most awful affronts and insults against Suswam somewhere in the range of 2015 and 2018.

Orbunde assumed a significant part in ruining the relationship between Akume and Ortom. However, presently he has hurried to the same Akume for political ‘asylum’. I can’t help thinking about how he will face Akume’s wife Regina whom he called all manner of unprintable names.

Terwase has on various occasions insulted Senator Iyorchia Ayu and other leaders of PDP. For him, politics is a do-or-die thing.

But Orbunde is very selfish. People insult Gov Ortom today for not doing many projects in Kwande but the real culprit is Terwase. A man who occupied a big position in government like chief of staff to the Governor could have easily attracted projects to his people but he failed to do so. The only thing he did was to take electricity from the main road to his personal compound in Shangev-ya leaving his neighbors in total darkness.

At his official residence in Commissioners quarters where he is refusing to vacate, no one goes there. Even when he was campaigning to be governor, his house was an off limits region. People used to troop to the houses of his neighbors and fellow aspirants Prof Ityavyar and deputy Governor Abounu, but no one was welcomed to Orbunde’s house. Only the mean look on the face of his wife could send people away. Orbunde is a very stingy man. An exceptionally closefisted man. His governorship ambition forced him to become an accidental philanthropist 😁.

And talking about his claim that he sold an estate in Abuja to give Ortom money for campaign, what a fat lie! In 2014, Orbunde was practically living from hand to mouth. He had no house in Makurdi. It was Ortom who rehabilitated him. He had no car. The so-called estate in Abuja which is still there is a tiny spot with a few blocks. It was Gov Ortom who helped Orbunde with funds to renovate the small estate with the hope of selling it in future. He is yet to find a buyer on account of the over the top value he is asking on the structure.

I snickered when I read Orbunde’s letter to Governor Ortom which is in the press. He claimed not to have a house where to move to in Makurdi, correct? He ought to be appreciative to Gov Ortom for empowering him to own a mansion at Owner Occupier quarters. The house is next to that of Benue PDP state treasurer. Gov Ortom made it possible.

The unfortunate blackmail of Orbunde against the Governor is a lesson to us all. Yet, that shouldn’t deter great individuals from being good. Not all recipients of good deeds are ungrateful opportunists. Gov Ortom ought to keep on doing good to his friends notwithstanding the cowardly demeanor of Terwase Orbunde towards him.

By James Igbudu