By Akinwale Kasali
An angry Governor Samuel Ortom has reacted to the statement credited to the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, gor insulting him over his outcry on the murder of about 70 Internally Displaced Persons at Abagana Area of the State. IDPs were allegedly attacked and murdered by Suspected rogue Fulani herdsmen.
Ortom had accused the President of insensitivity to the killings of the people, and said the President was behaving like a President for the Fulani instead of that of Niger. Ortom also called on President Buhari to act and step up the war against insecurity. He called for an urgent Security Summit to find solutions and stem the tide.
This prompted Shehu to say that his Principal does not have time for baseless, reckless and insensitive statements. Garba also accused Ortom of talking about the fault of other people, and ignoring his own many faults.
The Presidency expressed disappointed over Ortom’s statement.
Nut reacting the Benue State Government in a statement released on Friday through the Governor’s spokesman, Terver Akase, said Ortom ought to be commended for his actions by the President.
The statement reads: “We read the statement in which he (Shehu) said President Muhammadu Buhari had expressed “his disappointment and sadness to hear Samuel Ortom, the Governor of Benue State, make a litany of accusations against his person and his Government following the recent unfortunate incidents in the state”.
”Shehu was referring to Governor Ortom’s clarion call on the President to act decisively and in an unbiased manner to end the spate of killings by Fulani herdsmen in Benue and other parts of the country.
“We are convinced that Mr President was not aware that his aide, Shehu, made such a statement on his behalf. The media aide didn’t speak for the President in the said statement. President Buhari wouldn’t have approved such a reckless and insensitive press release.
“What is wrong with Governor Ortom’s call on the President to address the nation, convene a national security summit and declare a state of emergency on security, following the spate of killings taking place in Benue and the remaining states of the federation?
“Governor Ortom is not the only one who is worried by the worsening security situation in the country and has called on the President to rise to his responsibilities by declaring a state of emergency on security and convening a summit to address the numerous security challenges bedevilling the nation. Many other Nigerians of good conscience have at different times made similar calls. What the Governor therefore deserves is commendation and not condemnation.
“If Garba Shehu claims that the President is disappointed in the Benue State Governor for speaking against the sustained attacks on his people, we wonder how he feels about the killings in North East, North West, South East, South West and other parts of the North Central. Are those killings occurring of the comments of Governors of the affected states?
“It is shocking that Shehu would make a statement regarding an attack carried out by Fulani herdsmen and there won’t be a single sentence of reproach directed at the violent Fulani herders. Such a deliberate omission smacks of complicity and tacit support for the killer herders.
“Shehu is aware that Governor Ortom has on several occasions raised alarm against activities of the rampaging herdsmen whose sole aim is to take over the ancestral lands of Benue people and other Nigerians. The Governor has written letters to the Federal Government and made other spirited efforts to have the government at the centre take preventive measures against further attacks on Benue communities.
“The Federal Government has repeatedly ignored such patriotic calls, insisting rather that cattle routes of the 1950s be opened to grant easy passage to the pastoralists and their animals.
“The posture of the Federal Government has made many Nigerians conclude that it is complicit and its inaction has emboldened the armed herdsmen to cause greater havoc across the country.
“The President is Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. The job of a Governor is to support security agencies to perform their duties, and this, Governor Ortom has done efficiently to the admiration of many Nigerians.
“When President Buhari gave a shoot on sight order to security agencies against persons bearing AK47, Governor Ortom was one of the first to support the presidential directive. The Minister of Defence came out a few weeks later to counter the President’s order and we expected a reaction from the Presidency but till this minute, no such reaction has been heard.
“What Garba Shehu ought to know is that Governor Ortom has no personal grudge against the President. The Governor is only being patriotic by calling for justice, equity, fairness and above all the rule of law. He expects the President to be the leader of every Nigerian and treat all as his people”.
In the past few days, Shehu has signed off three Press Releases on behalf of the Presidency which many people regard as insensitive and not very well thought – out.
In the wake of the exposure of the damning speeches attributed to the Minister for Communications and Digital Economy in support of Osama Bin Laden, his Al Qaeda, and other terrorist groups, Shehu had released a statement in support of the Minister, against the opinion of many Nigerians that he be sacked by President Buhari.
He had, also, in a second statement, said that the offence committed by former Minister for Finance, Kemi Adeosun, for which he resigned, was more grievous than that of Patami. Adeosun had resigned when it was confirmed that his National Youth Service Certificate was forged.
And reacting to the nationwide violent killings of hundreds of innocent Nigerians, including students, Military and Police men, Shehu had said Nigerians were behaving as of there had been no killings in Nigeria before.
Many people found that inappropriate.
