Benue: Controversy trails Ortom’s list of nominees for Commissioners

Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom has stirred controversies after forwarding a list of 13 commissioner nominees to the State House of Assembly for screening and confirmation as members of the state executive council.

The governor in a letter signed by Mr Targema Takema, Secretary to the State Government, sent to the Speaker of the House disclosed the list as follows:1. Barrister Michael Gusa, Gwer
2. Professor Dennis Ityavyar, Vandeikya
3. Dr Tersoo Kpelai, Ukum
4. Mr James Anbua, Logo
5. Engr. Nicholas Wende, Kwande
6. Barrister Mrs Mwuese Mnyim, Makurdi
7. Engr Emmanuel Manger, Tarka
8. Hon Sekav Iortyom, Buruku
9. Barrister John Otokpa Onoja, Ado
10. Dr Mrs Cecilia Ojobo, Okpokwu
11. Mr Lawrence Ekpo Onoja Jr, Ohimini
12. Mr David Olofu, Apa
13. Mr Ode Agih, Obi.

However, the above nominees did not go down well with some citizens who accused the governor of marginalisation.

Citizens of Ogbadibo LGA of the state are labelling the governor ungrateful for snubbing them in his cabinet after giving him the highest votes during the election.
Reacting to the development, Benue top social media activist, Samson Adole said, “Do you mean Ortom nominated his commissioners without any person from Ogbadibo? This is so unfair, the same Ogbadibo that gave him the highest votes during the election? Another look at the list still shows Tivs are dominating. And this makes one to ask, when will all these marginalisation end in Benue State?”

On his part, coordinator of Save Our Idoma Group, SOIG, Edema Ejeh described the list as a complete trash.

“The Tivs will continue to cheat us until we (Idomas) wake up from our sleep. This list to me is a complete trash. This APC government is confused and obviously heading nowhere.”

Speaking with DAILY POST on phone, leader of Idoma Progressives Union, Isaac Adikwu said Idoma should not expect anything less in a government controlled by Tiv.

“We all know Tivs for their greediness, I didn’t expect anything less. When we had all the time to campaign for an Idoma governor, we bungled it and now we are seeing the result. Idoma should expect the worst.”

Meanwhile, a former Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav has attributed Governor Samuel Ortom’s nullification of all last minute actions taken by the immediate past administration in Benue State to overexcitement of occupying the office of governor.

Tsav said in Makurdi at the weekend that he was dissatisfied with the new state government for terminating all last minute recruitments into the state civil service by former governor Gabriel Suswam as well as directing the immediate reinstatement of Ter Nagi, Chief Daniel Abomtse.