I was a motor park tout — Benue gov-elect

The Benue State incoming
Governor, Chief Samuel Ortom, has
described his experience as a
motor park tout and his election as
governor as a divine arrangement
and the handiwork of God.
Ortom, who bared his mind to The
PUNCH in an exclusive chat in
Makurdi, said his elevation from
grass to grace was due to hard work
and his firm believe in God.
He said, “My journey from being a
motor park tout to an elected
governor is purely a divine
arrangement. I cast my mind back
to when I dropped out of school in
Form 2 but I remained hardworking
and I did not engage in crime to
survive.
“One thing I know is that hard work
pays and you must keep faith with
God; power belongs to God and He
alone gives it to whoever He will.”
The former Minister of State for
Industry, Trade and Investment said
he had dropped out of school in
Form 2 due to lack of funds but this
did not force him to engage in
criminal activities to survive.
Ortom, however, noted that the
selection process of the PDP
delegates in the last party’s
primary in the state was
manipulated by the party
leadership intentionally to thwart
his ambition of becoming the next
governor.
He said the party also frustrated the
support of the Benue populace who
supported him.
He said, “The process of selection of
delegates in the last PDP
governorship election was
manipulated by the leadership of
the party to thwart my ambition
and frustrate the people who all
supported me. But God vindicated
me and blessed me, and now I am
an elected governor.”