Former Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom has said all the lingering disputes in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have been amicably resolved.
He said the party is currently well positioned to conduct its forthcoming National Convention and to prepare for the 2027 elections.
Ortom stated this on Thursday during a media chat with journalists in Makurdi.
He maintained that the PDP is not currently in any coalition with any political party.
“To the best of my knowledge, there is nothing like coalition and my party is not into any coalition with any political party,” he said.
Ortom said his position remains the same as he is in support of Southern President in 2027.
He said the North has enjoyed eight uninterrupted years of Presidency and it was only in line with the tenets of democracy for the South to have their eight years.
According to the ex-Benue governor, the North-Central zone has a good case for the Presidency by 2031.
Speaking further, Ortom said despite economic challenges including two recessions, COVID-19 pandemic, dwindling oil prices among others, he constructed and rehabilitated over 700 primary schools in Benue, paid for full accreditation of the BSU College of Health Science, constructed roads in Makurdi, Gboko, Otukpo and other parts of Benue State.
He said his administration also constructed the Tor Tiv and O’Chi Idoma palaces as well as the BIPC Fountain Estate, Nyorgyungu, the BENGIS building and other infrastructural projects.
Clearing the air on issues surrounding salary payments, he said his administration inherited seven months of unpaid salaries but while he was leaving, he left the state with five months salary arrears.
“It is not fair to say I didn’t pay salaries at all, I was governor of Benue for 96 months , I paid 91 months and owed 5 months,” he said.
The former governor said 28 states in Nigeria had difficulties paying salaries during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari as a result of the dynamics at that time.
On the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law, Ortom said if anyone feels there is a better solution to farmer/herders crisis in the country, such a person should step forward with the solution, maintaining that he cannot regret signing that piece of legislation and implementing same.
He disclosed that over 300 herdsmen who violated the Benue Anti Open Grazing Law were prosecuted during his time as governor