The Peoples Democratic Party shrank further in Benue State with the departure of former minister of trade and investment, Samuel Ortom for the All Progressives Congress.
Shut out of the PDP’s governorship race by Governor Gabriel Suswam, Ortom, one of Jonathan’s seven ministers who resigned several months ago, moved over to the APC, with his supporters.
He was the second high profile member of the PDP to join the opposition, after Senator Barnabas Gemade led the way.
The APC has now richly rewarded by adopting him as a consensus governorship candidate, to battle former speaker Terhemen Tarzoor, Governor Suswam’s man.
Chief Ortom emerged after other governorship aspirants stepped down for him at the end of a close door meeting brokered by the senate minority leader, Senator George Akume, in Makurdi.
APC governorship aspirants who stepped down for Chief Ortom are Mike Iordye, Akange Audu and Emmanuel Jime.
Chief Ortom will now face PDP candidate Terhemen Tarzor in the general el