The Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, says he holds no personal grudge against the President Muhammadu Buhari insisting that he only expects him to be the leader of every Nigerian and treat all his people equally.
The Governor who reacted to a recent statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, in which he said President Buhari had expressed “his disappointment and sadness over the State Governor’s litany of accusations against his person and his government following the recent unfortunate incidents in the state”.
Ortom’s reaction as contained in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase, noted that the Governor’s clarion call was to make the President act decisively and in an unbiased manner to end the spate of killings by Fulani herdsmen in Benue and other parts of the country.
“We are convinced that Mr. President was not aware that his aide Shehu made such a statement on his behalf. It is clear that the media aide didn’t speak for the President in the said statement. President Buhari wouldn’t have given approval for such a reckless and insensitive press release.
“What is wrong with Governor Ortom’s call on the President to address the nation, convene a national security summit, and declare a state of emergency on security, following the spate of killings taking place in Benue and the remaining states of the federation?” the statement read in part.
Akase maintained that the Governor is not the only one who is worried by the worsening security situation in the country and has called on the President to rise to his responsibilities by declaring a state of emergency on security and convening a summit to address the numerous security challenges bedeviling the nation.
Following Garba Shehu’s claim that the President is disappointed in the Benue State Governor for speaking against the sustained attacks on his people, Akase wondered if the killings in the North East, North West, South East, South West, and other parts of the North Central are occurring as a result of the comments of Governors of the affected states.
He expressed shock that Shehu would make a statement regarding an attack evidently carried out by Fulani herdsmen and there won’t be a single sentence of reproach directed at the violent Fulani herders, hinting that such a deliberate omission smacks of complicity and tacit support for the killer herders.
“Shehu is aware that Governor Ortom had on several occasions raised alarm against activities of the rampaging herdsmen whose sole aim is to take over the ancestral lands of Benue people and other Nigerians.
“The Governor has written letters to the Federal Government and made other spirited efforts to have the government at the centre take preventive measures against further attacks on Benue communities.
“The Federal Government has repeatedly ignored such patriotic calls, insisting rather that cattle routes of the 1950s be re-opened to grant easy passage to the pastoralists and their animals,” the statement added.
