The former Governor of Benue State, Chief Samuel Ortom, has asked the former senator from Kogi state, Sen Dino Melaye, to find himself a dignifying vocation and quit constituting a liability to the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP).
Chief Ortom who spoke through his Media Aide, Terver Akase, reacting to Dino’s “unprovoked verbal attacks” him at the North Central Zonal meeting of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Abuja few days ago.
In a statement made available to newsmen in Makurdi, Ortom’s Media Aide said after Dino’s verbal attacks on his boss, “we considered his action as just another exhibition of his well known character, and opted not to dignify him with a formal response.
“However, moments later, Dino took to social media with glee and pomp over his “altercation with Ortom” in the mold of a thug who had just accomplished the mission of insulting a perceived opponent to the admiration of a principal.
“But why would anyone be surprised to see a man who could jump out of a moving vehicle in order to escape arrest put up such a conduct?
“Despite spending years in the National Assembly, it is apparent that Dino still finds greater comfort and joy in the venal job of a mercenary and attack dog whose services are available for the highest bidder with zero room for loyalty and true friendship.
“He is a liability not only to PDP, but also to the good people of Kogi State, which is why the people rejected his bid to be their governor.
“In the last election, Dino could not even vote for himself. His rants and comedy often end up on social media.
“He makes no contributions to the party and instead drags its image to infamy with his acts of ignominy.
“Dino has insulted almost every prominent member of the PDP, with the exception of only those who fund and benefit from his lifestyle of insobriety, belligerence and open attacks on perceived opponents.”
Akase said Dino ought to have known that Chief Ortom has made selfless sacrifices to the PDP, having served as the State Secretary and Deputy Chairman of the party in Benue State, National Auditor of the party, Minister and Governor on the party’s platform.
“Chief Ortom was the Director of Administration and Logistics of the Goodluck/Sambo Presidential Campaign Organization in 2011. Dino may wish to recall that PDP won the presidential election of 2011 in which Ortom played a key role.”
He noted that Ortom was also among the few Governors who stood by their people and defended them in the face of impunity and injustice orchestrated by the Buhari administration and the menace of killer herdsmen saying “He achieved the feat as a Governor on the platform of PDP.”
He explained that the stand of Chief Ortom and his colleagues in the G-5 was clear before the 2023 elections, that after eight years of the presidency in the north under President Muhammadu Buhari, it was only fair that the seat should rotate to the southern part of the country.
He said Ortom and other members of the Integrity Group which also included the G-5 did not equivocate their stand on the issue of the Presidency moving to the south.
“Chief Ortom’s position on the issue of the 2023 presidency makes him a patriot who loves the unity of this country founded on justice, equity and fairness.
“Between Dino Melaye who supported a candidate from the north to take over from another northerner and Samuel Ortom who insisted that equity and justice must be done, who genuinely loves the PDP and wants to see the party live the true meaning of its creed as a political party for all Nigerians – ‘Power to the People’?, he asked.
He therefore stated that “Dino ought to find for himself a dignifying vocation.”
