Samuel Ioraer Ortom

Chief Dr. Samuel Ioraer Ortom is a Nigerian, philanthropist, businessman, politician and administrator. He was a Minister of State Trade and Investments in Nigeria in the Goodluck Jonathan administration and later crosscarpeted parties, presently seeking to be the next governor of Benue State as a member of the All Progressives Congress in the 2015 general elections. 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 the 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. Chief Dr. Samuel Ioraer Ortom crowned his educational pursuit with a Doctor of Philosophy, Ph.D, from the Commonwealth University, Belize, through distant learning.