Biography

A Born Political Candidate

He was born 23 April 1961 in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria. He attended St. John's Primary School, Gboko in 1970 but moved to St. Catherine's Primary School, Makurdi in 1974, completing his primary education in 1976. Chief Dr. Samuel Ioraer Ortom was admitted into Idah Secondary Commercial College, Idah in Kogi State in 1976. He did two years in the school before his father's retirement in 1979 ended his dream of completing formal secondary school education for financial reasons. He became a professional driver.

He later obtained the General Certificate of Education as well as Diploma in Salesmanship. He enrolled at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and obtained both the Interim Joint Matriculation Board Certificate, in 1995 and Diploma in Journalism in 1998. He later attended the Benue State University where he obtained the Advanced Diploma in Personnel Management in 2001 as well as Master of Public Administration in 2004. Ortom earned Doctor of Philosophy, Ph.D, from the Commonwealth University, Belize, through distant learning.

Political Life

Ortom served different political parties in Benue State including the National Centre Party of Nigeria as State Publicity Secretary; State Treasurer of the All People's Party(APP); and State Secretary as well as State Deputy Chairman of the People's Democratic Party (PDP). He was also Director of Operations of the PDP gubernatorial campaign in Benue State in 2007 and Director of Administration and Logistics of the Goodluck/Sambo Presidential Campaign Organization in 2011. He was PDP National Auditor before his appointment as Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in July 2011.

In April 2015, he contested for Governor of Benue State and won under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In July 2018, Ortom announced his departure from All Progressives Congress as a result of internal party crisis.