Groups flay Ortom over ‘Buhari being lenient with herdsmen’ comment

Three socio-political groups, The Nigeria Project Initiative (TNPI), Initiative to Save Democracy (ISD) and Global Economic Policy Initiative (GEPI), have replied Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State over his allegation that President Muhammadu Buhari is “lenient” with criminal herdsmen.

In a statement issued on Tuesday and jointly signed by the chairmen of the groups, Mohammed Salihu (TNPI), Akinloye James (ISD) and Chief Bernard Okri (GEPI), they said Governor Ortom “is the problem and not President Buhari.”

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They further said contrary to the wrong assertion of the governor, President Buhari remained a patriotic, nationalistic and fair-minded leader always ready to defend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, adding that he remained a leader committed to the defence of the rights of all citizens, majority and minority, including ethnic and religious minorities; meting out justice without fear or favour when crimes were committed.

The statement further read: “Governor Ortom is himself a witness to this when Benue State suffered attacks by criminal herdsmen and bandits. President Buhari travelled to Makurdi, addressed communities, offered sympathy and support and ordered law enforcement agencies to take action against the criminals.

“Governor Ortom needs to do better in addressing issues of violence between farmers and herds; he must do better on the issues of violence against women, extra-judicial killing and the mayhem. The governor needs to be more responsive to the feelings and yearnings of his people.

“A governor who collects monthly subventions from the centre, collects bailout funds from Buhari as do many other governors, but fails to pay workers and pensioners should look at himself in the mirror to determine where his problems lie.

“It is cheap and sensational to blame President Buhari for the ills of his government and the state; for the truth is that Ortom is Ortom’s problem, not anyone else.”