By; Jacob Onjewu Dickson
The Governor of Benue State Samuel Ortom neither authorizes, grants, nor influences the grant of permits for the use of public places in the state and therefore, could not have been responsible if anyone was denied the use of any such place, a statement has said.
The statement signed by his Special Adviser, Media and ICT, Tahav Agerzua, explained that their attention was drawn to media reports credited to a serving Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that he was denied access to the use of public venues for meetings in some parts of Benue State.
“The reports insinuated that Governor Samuel Ortom gave orders for the denial. One wishes that such were not true and that someone was misquoted because nothing could be further from the truth.
“Moreover, the Governor presides over the affairs of the entire state including the Senator’s senatorial district and every local government area,” the statement said.
Even though the statement did not mention any names, it was apparent that he was referring to former Senate President, David Mark.
It went on to explain that if the Senator could have access to public places in other local government areas in the state and was denied the use of such in a particular local government council, as he claimed, he should investigate the circumstances rather than blaming the Governor.
“It might not just be a coincidence that the council headquarters where the legislator was said to have been denied the use of public arena happens to be within an area where the electorate voted overwhelmingly against him in a recent election hence his resort to cast the people and the Governor in bad light because he belongs to the party they preferred.
Governor Ortom assured the people of the state that he would not use the mandate they freely and overwhelmingly gave him to deny anyone of his legitimate right for whatever reason.
He pledged never to deploy the condemnable antics of the former ruling party, such as the denial of landing rights and use of public places, against the opposition.
