Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, has said that he will not succumb to intimidation or blackmail just because of his senatorial ambition.
He also insisted that he will never trade the interest of the state to gain political power.
Ortom spoke during an enlarged meeting with Jemgbagh PDP Elders Forum comprising Gboko, Tarka and Buruku local government areas held yesterday at the Gboko residence of Mike Mku.
The meeting was at the instance of the Jemgbagh PDP Elders Forum, which sought to get clarifications on the cold war between the governor and the National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, following calls by Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, that the national chairman should resign.
Giving details of what snowballed into the current crises, the governor dispelled insinuations that he is pulling down a Jemgbagh son.
Rather, he explained how he rallied support for the election of Ayu, against all odds.
He pointed out that he will never succumb to blackmail or keep silent in the face of injustice perpetrated by the PDP under Ayu’s leadership.
Already, some pseudo-groups claiming to be speaking on behalf of the Jemgbagh political block have been stoking public blackmail against the governor whom they accused of working against the interest of Ayu.
The governor, in a lucid narrative, took time to explain his role in the emergence of Ayu as national chairman of PDP and his position on the travails he is facing over calls for his resignation.
Ortom maintained that power is given by God and that “No one should blackmail me because of my senatorial ambition. Nobody should think he will intimidate me because of the senate election.”
According to the governor, “If God ordains me to be elected senator for the Benue North-West Senatorial zone, no amount of blackmail or intimidation could prevent me from winning.”
The governor told the Jemgbagh PDP elders that Ayu, who is also from the Jemgbagh political bloc, has mounted a smear campaign and blackmail against his person and office when he met members of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the PDP.
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Ortom noted that since he indicated his intention to contest for the Benue North-West Senatorial district seat, he has become a subject of intimidation and blackmail by some Jemgbagh stakeholders as a result of the internal crisis rocking the party with Ayu as the helmsman.
Chairman of the Jemgbagh PDP Elders Forum, Sam Tsumba said the Forum will invite Senator Ayu and Governor Ortom to further find a way to resolve the conflict.
