Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state has said there is nothing to celebrate about the 61st Independence Anniversary of Nigeria as sycophants and mediocre have taken over the country coupled with the level of insecurity, bad economic policies of the federal government and grinding poverty in the land, Vanguard reports.
The Governor who spoke Friday at the Interdenominational Church Service held at the Chapel of Grace, Benue Government House to mark 61st Independence Anniversary celebrations said Nigeria was facing the worst economic and security crisis ever witnessed in the history of the country.
He said “we have nothing to celebrate. What are we celebrating, bandits, kidnappers, herdsmen, insurgents, failed economy or what?
“Look at the economy the Naira is almost N600 to the Dollar today. The truth is that we have nothing to celebrate as a people because we the leaders have failed this country.
“Sycophants and mediocres have taken over. Corruption has taken over this country. In every sphere of life nothing is happening; but we need to celebrate God for giving us life; so with it maybe tomorrow things might get better but for now I must tell you that we have nothing to celebrate.”
The Governor stated that in Benue state alone, from 2017 till date, over 100 security personnel lost their lives to armed herdsmen and bandits in the course of providing security for the lives and property of the people of the state.
He stressed that the attack on security personnel which was not peculiar to the state but a nationwide challenge was indicative of the worsening insecurity in the country.
“These are innocent individuals who come from families and also own families. They volunteered to provide security for all of us and it is highly condemnable for anyone to attack them let alone take their lives.
“This is certainly not the kind of country our founding fathers wished for us. But we must keep fate in our country Nigeria, because it is God that brought us together in the mist of our diversity.
“We know that their are mischief makers all over the place but we must not be provoked because two wrongs cannot make a right. We cannot say because there is impunity going on, we must be involved in such.
“Let us work with God to give us a new direction because there will be light at the end of tunnel. Nigeria will be out of this situation someday. So lets trust God to deliver us. Lets have the faith of Daniel who was delivered by God from the Lion’s den.
“We must also pray for President Muhammadu Buhari, the Governors and those in positions of leadership in this country for God to lead them aright and for the betterment of the people they lead.”