2023: Ortom backs southern governors over rotation

Benue state governor, Samuel Ortom Tuesday commended the Southern Governors Forum for their position on rotation of the presidency between the north and south in 2023.

Governor Ortom in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary Terver Akase said he believed that only equity, fairness and justice could strengthen the unity of Nigeria, give all citizens a sense of belonging and reduce tensions across the country.

The governor reiterated his call on the Federal Government to respect the 1999 Constitution (as amended) regarding fundamental human rights, the rule of law and federal character.

Governor Ortom reaffirmed his belief in Nigeria’s unity and expressed optimism that the country would overcome its current challenges and emerge stronger as a great nation.

The governor also described the decision by the forum to enact laws to ban open grazing of livestock in the region as a bold and patriotic move that will bring to an end the lingering crisis caused by armed herdsmen.

He lauded his counterparts in southern Nigeria for backing their May 11 Asaba declaration against open grazing with the resolve to legally prohibit nomadic cattle rearing; a resolution which conforms with the global best practice of animal husbandry.

He restated his commitment to speaking out against injustice and quoted Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr who stated that “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”