Youth Block Ortom’s Abuja Trip, Remove APC Flag From His Vehicle
From Msughshima Andrew, Makurdi
A coalition of Benue youths comprising of over forty groups today stoped Governor Samuel Ortom from attending a scheduled meeting with the All Progressives Congress, APC, National leadership in Abuja.
The Governor was leaving Government House, Makurdi for the trip when the youths, numbering thousands, blocked his route carrying placards and chanting solidarity songs.
Some of the placards read “Ortom don’t go back to APC,” “We don’t have land to donate for Ranching,” “APC is Miyetti Allah Party,” “Our Farms are not for Cows,” “You must leave APC,” Ortom is Our Party,” “2019: On Ortom We Stand,” among others.
Spiking in behalf of the youths, Terrence Kuanum and Pastor Dave Ogbole advised the Governor not to make the trip for further discussions with the APC leadership on his membership of the party but to rather look for an alternative platform.
They threatened that if he attended the meeting they would vote him out in 2019.
To underscore their anger they ordered that the APC flag should be removed from the Governor’s official car immediately and the Governor’s driver complied.
Governor Ortom who was already on his way to Abuja for the meeting with the APC leaders pleaded with the youths to allow him attend the meeting assuring that their interest would be protected.
He further pleaded with the youths to allow him to go to Abuja with a plefge that he will kot compromise on the Anti Open Grazing Law.
But the youths refused, insisting that the only option available to him was for the Governor to make a u-turn.
They continued to chant “We no go gree ooo, we no go gree … Governor Ortom turned back with his entourage.