George Okoh in Makurdi
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has accepted to seek reelection for a second term in 2019 even as he warned his supporters not to offend other people as they project his administration’s development efforts.
Ortom made the call while addressing All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters from the Benue South senatorial district and four local government areas of the Benue North who converged on Government House yesterday to endorse him for a second term.
 The governor said he has received divine encouragement to run for a second term, adding that the same God who told him to contest for governorship in 2015 has told him to go for the same position in 2019.
He said he was overwhelmed by the various calls on him to contest for a second term and assured the people of state that his administration would remove ghost workers who made the wage bill to swell up.
 The governor thanked the people for identifying with him in the implementation of open grazing prohibition law and added that the law was not targeted at any particular group.
He said ranching was being adopted in the state in the interest of peace for farmers, livestock owners and the entire citizenry, and urged those skeptical of the law to give it a chance.
 In his speech, Chief Akange Audu who spoke for the group said the people of the zone have spoken with one voice that the governor has performed creditably well and deserved another term to complete his good work.
Audu particularly noted that the people of the axis, most of who are farmers, are happy with the governor for his courage to promulgate the anti-open grazing and the anti-cultism laws which have brought peace across the state.
 On their part, Mike Vembe, Patrick Mamadu and Tor Ishebo stated that Ortom has done so much in opening up rural roads, provision of electricity to communities, renovation of primary schools and therefore deserves another term.
 Earlier, the Zonal Chairman of the APC, Mr. Hassan Mohammed, had told the governor that supporters have decided to present him as the only candidate for 2019 because his concern for Idoma people has translated into the provision of infrastructure, appointments into high positions and so on.
 Mohammed who spoke along with elders from the zone as well as the party’s representative at the national level, Nelson Alapa, urged the governor not to worry about campaigning when the time comes as his good works would speak for him.
