Buhari Intervenes, Saves Benue State Governor Ortom From Losing Seat

President Muhammadu Buhari has reportedly intervened in the crisis rocking the Benue state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

This has saved the governor of the state, Samuel Ortom from losing his seat, Daily Post reports.

Recall that Hon. Emmanuel Jime and Senator Joseph Waku, who were then gubernatorial aspirants, had filed a suit challenging the eligibility of Ortom as the duly nominated APC governorship candidate in the April 11, 2015 poll.

A reconciliation committee was constituted at the instance of Buhari.

Announcing the outcome of the peace committee yesterday, August 13, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, the speaker of the House of Representatives, who read Buhari’s message said, Jime and Waku had agreed to withdraw their suit.

“On behalf of Mr. President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, I wish to announce to you our leaders, gentlemen of the press and the whole world that Hon. Jime and Senator Waku have graciously agreed to withdraw or discontinue with the case in court,” Dogara said.

After a three-hour meeting behind closed doors at the APC national secretariat in Abuja, the peace committee had agreed that no sacrifice was too much to achieve the desired peace in Benue state.

Other members of the committee, who attended the meeting include state Governors: Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto); Simon Lalong (Plateau) and Tanko Al-Makura (Nasarawa). Other stakeholders from Benue like Ortom, Jime, Waku, Senators George Akume and Barnabas Gemade were also in attendance.

In his response Governor Ortom commended the President for the intervention and both Senator Waku and Rt Hon Jime for their exhibition of the spirit of sportsmanship and sacrifices made in the interest of the party.

The Peoples Democratic Party gubernatorial candidate, Terhemen Tazoora, had also challenged Ortom’s election. Tarzoor had filed a case at the tribunal through his counsel, Joy Adesino (SAN), challenging the eligibility of Ortom to contest the gubernatorial polls in the state, praying the tribunal to declare Ortom’s votes invalid and declare him the winner.