Benue youth to Buhari: Leave Ortom alone, deal with corruption, insecurity, other issues

The Benue State Youth Forum has stated that the Benue state Governor, Dr. Samuel Ortom, has remained “one of the strong voices of helpless Nigerians who are victims of impunity, marginalisation and injustice being perpetrated by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government.”

The youth group stated this in a statement signed by its President, Terrence Kuanum, on Wednesday.

The statement described Ortom as a true patriot who has constantly challenged the federal government to fulfill its promises to provide security for the people, in order to end corruption and fix the economy.

“We read the ridiculous and very unpresidential statement issued by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media, Garba Shehu, which was a response to Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom’s recent interview on Arise Television.

“We are not surprised by the verbose but shitty statement as it only represents what now defines the Muhammadu Buhari Presidency as a government which goes after the messenger in despotic fashion and leaves the message,” the statement said.

The group further said that instead of responding to the burning issues of national interest raised by the governor, the Presidency, choose to attack the person of the governor.

The statement further read, “Why has the Presidency not responded to Governor Ortom on the fact that under its watch, Nigeria is witnessing the highest level of corruption in the country’s history? Why has the Presidency not faulted Governor Ortom on his statement that the nation is experiencing the worst spate of insecurity since its independence? Why has the Presidency not proven Governor Ortom wrong on the glaring reality that the economy has collapsed with inflation, unemployment and poverty hitting an all-time high with millions of Nigerians rendered destitute?

“Why has the Presidency not countered Governor Ortom that under Buhari, Nigerians are more divided than at any other time in the history of the country with nepotism elevated and the people told to go to hell? Why has the Presidency not proven the Benue State Governor wrong on his statement that it accords preference to cattle over human life? Has President Buhari not gone on national television many times to insist that cattle routes must be created in parts of the country to grant easy passage to the animals?”

The group also said, “It is crystal clear that the Buhari administration has failed and is now in desperate need of whom to blame for its self-inflicted woes.”

The group further advised the Presidency to, “leave Governor Ortom alone. The Governor is not responsible for the failure of the present government at the centre, and that the Presidency has the option of apologising to Nigerians for its inability and deception.

“This is democracy anchored on constitutional laws and no longer military decrees! The federal government must allow Nigerians the freedom to express their views on issues affecting them.”