‘No Amount Of Blackmail, Attack Can Stop Me’ – Ortom Hits Back At Presidency
Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has stated that no amount of blackmail or media attacks from President Muhammadu Buhari will deter him from speaking out against the injustice and suffering that the current administration has inflicted Nigerians.
In a recent interview with Channels TV, Governor Ortom stated that President Muhammadu Buhari’s aim on open grazing is to “Fulanize” Nigeria.
Ortom’s remark prompted a response from the White House, which accused him of promoting ethnic bloodshed.
Garba Shehu, Buhari’s spokesman, also accused the Governor of being to blame for the rise in insecurity.
In a statement issued on Thursday by his Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase, Ortom said the statement demonstrates the caliber of the current Nigerian presidency, adding that they ignored the message and went for the messenger.
”We read the statement released by the Presidency in response to Governor Samuel Ortom’s recent interview on Channels Television in which he raised a number of concerns bordering on the worsening security situation across the country.
”To describe as ‘undistinguished’, the career of a man who has held many key positions at the state and national levels proves that those who penned the piece were under the influence of some negative substances.
”The Governor spoke the minds of most Nigerians on specific areas of failure of the Presidency and its complicity in the heinous crimes committed against citizens by armed Fulani herdsmen and other terrorists. Instead of taking the Governor on those points, Shehu went chasing vain and mundane matters in a desperate attempt to malign the Governor.
”No amount of sponsored smear campaigns against the Governor can force him to repeal the law on open grazing of cattle in Benue State.
”We advise the Presidency to focus on ending the killing of innocent Nigerians, fix the economy as it promised and stop the stinking corruption under their watch.
”They can’t run away from their responsibility. They were brought to power to serve the country not to oppress the people and suppress their freedom of speech.
”Governor Ortom stands by his words.The agenda of the present administration is to Islamize and Fulanize the nation as former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Professor Kunle Olawunmi and other patriotic Nigerians have rightly said,” the statement said.
