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Dino Melaye and Samuel Ortom
The immediate past governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom on Friday advised Senator Dino Melaye to find for himself a dignifying vocation.
Ortom gave the advice through the statement issued by his media aide, Terver Akase, following the verbal attack by Melaye on the former governor during the North Central Zonal meeting held in Abuja on Thursday.
Melaye had berated the former governor for his statement in Port Harcourt supporting the government of President Tinubu and accused him of (Ortom) anti-party activities during the 2023 general election.
Melaye who noted that Ortom ought not to be allowed to attend the party’s meeting also took to social media showing his altercation with Ortom.
Responding to Melaye’s verbal and social media attack, the former governor in a statement titled, “Melaye: ‘A leopard won’t change its spots, time to graduate from thuggery’ described the senator as a ‘liability not only to PDP, but also to the good people of Kogi State.
“This 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.”
Ortom recalled that the former lawmaker had at different times insulted almost every prominent member of the party. The former governor who placed himself above the senator in his contributions to the party and the country noted that his stance on justice and fairness informed his decision to ensure that power rotates to the southern part of the country in the 2023 general election.
The statement partly read, “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 Organisation in 2011. Dino may wish to recall that PDP won the presidential election of 2011 in which Ortom played a key role.
“His Excellency Ortom was 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. He achieved the feat as a Governor on the platform of PDP.
“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.
“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’? Dino ought to find for himself a dignifying vocation,” the statement added.
However, all attempts to get a response from Senator Melaye did not yield the desired results, as he neither answered calls nor replied to our correspondent’s text messages.
