Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state has replied the Federal Government over a statement credited to Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, alleging that he (Ortom) should desist from hate speeches against President Muhammadu Buhari.
Ortom in his reaction signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase and made available to Daily Trust in Makurdi noted that the governor has never ever stated anywhere that President Buhari plans to Islamize the country.
He argued rather that the presidency was being plagued by guilty conscience over its inability to act promptly when the state had issues bordering on insecurity which later claimed the lives of many people.
“It must have been the guilty conscience arising from the failure to forestall these attacks and their enormous deadly consequences that may have prompted the Presidency to issue today’s (Sunday) mischievous statement.
“More so that in the aftermath of the attacks President Buhari did not offer any message of sympathy or condolence to the bereaved families and the people of the state.
“The best that came from him when major stakeholders from the state visited him in Abuja and after a long expected visit to the state was that Benue people should learn to live with and accommodate their neighbours. In all these, Governor Ortom does not hold the President responsible,” the statement reads in part.
It added that, on January 13, 2018, the Fulani Nationality Movement (FUNAM) met in Kano and issued a statement that what was happening in Benue state was a continuation of the 1804 Jihad when recalcitrant Benue indigenes stopped them in their quest to dip the Qur’an in the sea and stated that they were currently equipped with weapons and political power to continue with the agenda.
But that it was also among other threats reported to the presidency and the security agencies who did nothing, stressing that the well known cabal in the present administration might be responsible for his (Buhari) ignorance of the real situation on ground.
“He (Ortom) prays daily for the President for God to grant him good health and wisdom and commends him for upgrading military’s Exercise Ayem Akpatuma to Operation Whirl Stroke which has been able to reduce herdsmen attacks in Benue state to the barest minimum.
“It could be recalled that Governor Ortom was one of those who organized prayers and fasting for the President when he had protracted health challenges in 2017,” it added.
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