Ortom speaks on absence at APC governors‘ visit to Buhari in Daura

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has spoken on his absence during the All Progressives Congress (APC) governors’ visit to President Muhammadu Buhari.

The state’s chief executives did not make the trip to Buhari’s country home in Daura, Katsina state, on Friday.

Ortom spoke on Saturday through his Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase.

DAILY POST reached Akase to respond to reports that Ortom might have deliberately stayed away from the meeting.

The aide, however, stated that the reports had no basis.

He said there was no need to read meaning to his principal’s absence as the governor was adequately represented.

“His Deputy was there,” Akase simply said.

The governors had explained that the reason for the visit was to commiserate with the President who recently lost two members of his extended family in Daura.

Present were Chairman of the Governors’ Forum and Zamfara Governor, Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari; Rochas Okorocha (Imo); Abubakar Muhammed (Bauchi); Kashim Shettima (Borno); Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo); Aminu Masari (Katsina) and Malam Nasir El-Rufa’I of Kaduna State.

Others were Gov. Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa, Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano); Godwin Obaseki of Edo; Yahaya Bello (Kogi); Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi); Abubakar Sani-Bello (Niger) and Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State, while the governors of Benue, Osun and Ogun were represented by their deputies.

The governors of Benue, Ogun and Osun were represented by their deputies while Yobe and Plateau were also represented by top government officials at the meeting.