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Is It Because You Are Returning To Cattle That You Failed To Deal With Killer Herdsmen? – Benue Governor, Ortom Queries Buhari

FILE
May 26, 2023

Ortom who spoke on Friday while inaugurating the headquarters of the Benue State Community Volunteer Guards (BSCVGs), in Makurdi the Benue State capital queried, “The President told us he is retiring to tend to his cattle, is it because he is returning to be a herder that he failed to deal decisively with herdsmen? That was unfair to Nigerians.”
 

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has berated outgoing President, Muhammadu Buhari, for refusing to disarm armed Fulani herdsmen who have masterminded different killings in the country.
Ortom who spoke on Friday while inaugurating the headquarters of the Benue State Community Volunteer Guards (BSCVGs), in Makurdi the Benue State capital queried, “The President told us he is retiring to tend to his cattle, is it because he is returning to be a herder that he failed to deal decisively with herdsmen? That was unfair to Nigerians.”
The outgoing governor who has been a critic of President Buhari for his lackluster administration especially in addressing the wholesome killings of Benue State people by his kinsmen, said that 2015 to 2023 would be remembered as the worst in the history of Nigeria under the supervision of Buhari.
Though Buhari has apologised to Nigerians for his failures, the governor noted that he must also be told that he failed woefully and Nigerians were feeling the impact of that failure because "we are all suffering."
“I served under the then President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration and we all saw how Nigeria flourished under that administration. We all knew what the prices of foods and services were at the time.

“We also know what our exchange rate was at the time and what it is today. I want Nigerians to do a simple comparison and you will realise how bad it has been under this government and how Nigeria has been taken several years backwards by the Buhari’s government.

“The fact is that never in the history of Nigeria did we experience this kind of bad governance in the country.

“Corruption is so endemic in this government yet people who steal chicken are thrown into prison but people in government who are busy stealing the wealth of the people are walking free."

“The President recently apologised to Nigerians; we accept the apology but he must be told that he failed woefully and Nigerians are feeling the impact of that failure because we are all suffering.”

The governor who recalled how he was denied several accruals because of his insistence on equity, fairness and justice, vowed he would continue to speak out against injustice in the country.
He insisted “Like a former lawmaker would say, ‘if you talk you die, if you don’t talk you die. So for me it is better to talk and die because I will also speak the truth no matter whose ox is gored.”