Why I Lent Peter Obi My Vehicle During Benue Visit — Ortom

Former Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has clarified his decision to provide an official vehicle to National Democratic Congress presidential candidate Peter Obi during his recent visit to the state, dismissing criticisms from the current administration as politically motivated.

Speaking through his media aide, Terver Akase, the former governor reacted to allegations by Governor Hyacinth Alia accusing him of secretly coordinating Obi’s visit and undermining his declared political support for President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 elections.

Defending the gesture as a matter of civic duty, Ortom described himself as a “statesman who understands the demands of public service and the obligations that come with leadership. It is therefore both ridiculous and shameful for anyone to attempt to criminalise or politicise the simple act of making a vehicle available to a fellow Nigerian leader.”

Highlighting Obi’s national standing, the statement noted: “Peter Obi is a former governor, a presidential candidate and one of the most prominent political figures in the country. Imagine how it would have sounded if Chief Ortom had refused to assist him with transportation while he was in Benue on a humanitarian mission to visit internally displaced persons.”

Critiquing the state government’s response, Ortom argued: “Such a refusal would rightly have been viewed as petty, inhospitable and beneath the dignity of a former governor. Indeed, extending such a courtesy should ordinarily have been the responsibility of the Benue State Government itself, given the status of the visitor.”

He added: “That the Alia administration is now trying to make a controversy out of what was merely a humane, courteous and statesmanlike gesture exposes the poverty of its argument and the desperation behind its propaganda. In other climes, leaders are commended for extending courtesies across political divides, not vilified for doing so.”

Characterizing the administration’s claims as “intellectually dishonest and politically immature,” Ortom also dismissed accusations of being double-faced as “laughable,” asserting that while he backed Obi in 2023, he remains firmly aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

The dispute follows an incident in Makurdi where Obi’s convoy, traveling to Yelewata for a condolence visit to victims of communal violence, was intercepted and blocked near Gyado Villa by protesting youths.

Following the disruption, Governor Alia’s Chief Press Secretary, Kula Tersoo, disclosed that state investigations linked the Toyota Land Cruiser SUV (Registration Number ABUJA: GWA 608 BT) carrying Obi directly to Ortom’s residence in Judges Quarters, Makurdi, questioning the former governor’s political loyalty.