Benue governorship: Jime distances self from Fulani group’s endorsement

The Governorship flag bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State, Barr. Emmanuel Jime on Monday distanced himself from the group, APC Fulani Nationwide which threw their weight behind his 2019 election.

Jime argued that his endorsement by the National Leader of the group, Garus Gololo, was rather the creation of Governor Samuel Ortom and his campaign organisation aimed at smearing his image.

In a statement issued and signed by the Secretary of Jime Campaign Organisation, Sontor Solomon, alleged that Governor Ortom and his campaign organisation sponsored Gololo with the aim of discrediting his principal.

“Rather than meet the APC on the highroad of issues and ideas, Ortom has remained stuck down there in the gutter of irredeemable falsehood, satanic fabrications and nervous hysteria.

“We understand the panic mode Jime’s emergence has thrown Governor Ortom into; and we also understand that Jime has given the PDP a nervous breakdown. And in that condition, anything irrational is possible, with the Ortom entourage not bothering about limits,” Solomon said.

But, in a sharp reaction, the President of Benue Youth Forum (BYF), Terrence Kuanum, faulted Jime for taking it out on Ortom instead of Gololo who endorsed his candidature.

“First, I will like to go through memory lane. When we were attacked, there were narratives and counter narratives going round, trying to justify the killings and Benue trying to defend their land and Alhaji Bodejo, Chairman of Myetti Allah Kautal Hore categorically made a statement that they were going to change the political leadership in Benue (Ortom) in 2019.

“And now, when we saw the endorsement of Gololo; and coming from a competent source, we were awakened. And so we expected the gubernatorial candidate of the APC and the party (APC) to completely denounce the endorsement; distance themselves from the endorsement and even threaten to sue the person that endorsed them, if they were not aware,” Kuanum added.

The youth president further appealed for calm, stressing that they (BYF) would engage the political class on the matter.