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I Wonder If The Defence Minister Reads Newspapers, Says Ortom

"I wonder if the Defence Minister has had time to read the newspapers, he would have felt the feelings of Nigerians before calling for the suspension of a legitimate law by various states," Ortom said.

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Samuel Ortom, Governor of Benue State, says  Mansur Dan-Ali, Minister of Defence, would not have called for the suspension of the anti-grazing law in some states if he read newspaper frequently.

Dan-Ali had made the call on June 6, saying it would help bring peace in the troubles states of Benue, Taraba and Ekiti.

However, speaking at an event on Tuesday, Ortom criticised Dan-Ai, saying: “In a time like this, we should be sensitive to what is going on. When the young man [a previous speaker] was making his remarks, he was literally shaking and it is coming from the heart and that is how most Nigerians are.

"I wonder if the Defence Minister has had time to read the newspapers, he would have felt the feelings of Nigerians before calling for the suspension of a legitimate law by various states."

Ortom said Dan-Ali's action was "not good enough". 

"it is casting the government in bad light and the minister of the Federal Republic should represent the interest of Nigerians," he said. "He should not be the mouthpiece of Miyetti Allah in a conflict involving Nigerians.”