Ezekiel Awojide, Abuja
Former Governor of Benue, Samuel Ortom, says the infrastructural development in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is massive under President Bola Tinubu.
Ortom made the remarks when he accompanied FCT Minister Nyesom Wike on a routine inspection of ongoing projects in Abuja on Friday.
He said he had seen several FCT ministers, but this was the first time he had seen monumental development and progress in the nation’s capital city.
“I am very proud, very happy, and thankful to God Almighty for giving my friend and colleague the capacity to do all that he is doing in the Federal Capital Territory.
“I have been here as National Auditor of the Peoples Democratic Party since 2008 and became a resident of the FCT.
“Honestly, I can tell you now, in the last one year, I need a guide to take me around the territory because of the monumental development and progress we have had here.
“I want to thank Tinubu for finding our friend worthy of serving as the Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, specifically the FCT. This is a great feat,” he said.
He said he had gone around and seen the Kugbo and Mabushi Bus Terminals, which he described as befitting of the nation’s capital.
He commended President Bola Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda”, adding that the agenda was making a significant impact on the life of Nigerians.
He noted the current challenges affecting the country, adding that Tinubu came in when the country was at its lowest level and had been trying to lift the country back on its feet again.
“There are challenges. He has admitted that there could be security, economic challenges, and others that we face as a people.
“But we need to work together, join hands with him to make sure that we overcome these challenges irrespective of party affiliations,” he said.
Ortom also commended Tinubu for looking beyond party affiliation.
“That is why he brought my friend and leader, Mr Nyesom Wike, to be the minister of the FCT, even though he won the election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress.
“This is a strategic partnership because if we don’t have a country, we cannot in any way have a nation to have a position.
“So, I want to appeal to our people to please join hands with Tinubu to address the security and economic challenges affecting us as a nation,” he said.
He also urged Nigerians to support work with the National Assembly to ensure the success of Tinubu reforms geared towards transforming the nation’s economy for sustainable development.
He stressed that Tinubu meant well for the country and advised Nigerians to leave politics aside and join hands with him to succeed.
“If Tinubu was a partisan man, he would not bring my friend in.
“There are several other people that he has brought on board who are not members of the APC, but whom he feels can add value to the development of our country.
“That is what a true leader should look at,” he said.
Ortom commended Wike for not disappointing his friends and for making them proud, saying, “Although we don’t have any appointment, we are grateful to God for making our friend part of the Tinubu government”.
Ortom was a Minister of State Trade and Investments and the supervising Minister of Aviation during President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration in 2011.
He was elected governor of Benue under the platform of the APC in 2015 before defecting to the PDP and re-elected for a second term on May 29, 2019.
