Yesterday, President Muhammadu Buhari made a sarcastic remark towards Samuel Ortom, the governor of Benue State, over his unsuccessful attempt to become a senator. The President alleged that Ortom’s poor performance over eight years led to the people rejecting him in the election. Additionally, he accused the governor of obstructing peaceful efforts to address the security situation in the state, instead of cooperating with the government.
According to a statement from the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, President Buhari claimed that the people of Benue State would be relieved that Ortom is leaving office and a more responsible governor will take over. The statement also stated that Ortom ignored intelligence reports that were given to him for action.
The statement rebutted allegations by newspapers that blamed the dire security situation in Benue State solely on the outgoing president. The President’s statement highlighted various measures he personally took to address the deteriorating situation in Benue, which were frequently ignored by Ortom. These measures included in-person meetings with the governor and other community leaders, the establishment of Joint Security Operations, and the deployment of special security forces.
The statement concluded that the new governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, has a challenging task ahead of him, inheriting a state that is in the Intensive Care Unit. If Ortom had focused on his job and not politicized the tragedies occurring under his watch, the situation in Benue might have been different, like in its neighboring states. The statement praised the people of Benue for rejecting Ortom and said that they knew the true reasons behind the situation in the state.
sources: nairaland