Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has given reasons he would not support the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. saying he would not support a candidate who sees nothing wrong in the killing of innocent Benue people by armed Fulani herdsmen.
The Governor Spoke in Makurdi during the State Banquet organised by the Benue State government for the visiting G-5 Governors which included, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Seyi Makinde (Oyo) and Nyesom Wike of Rivers state.
While lamenting the recent killing of 18 persons in Guma, his Local Government Area, LGA, where a young man in their 20s had his eyes plucked off and another had his hand chopped off by armed herdsmen to send a message to him demanding the abrogation of the Benue grazing law, the Governor said, “my people are being killed and you want me to be quiet; you want me to be slave to a Fulani. It’s better I die. Anybody supporting Atiku in Benue is an enemy of the state.
“Some are threatening, my tenure ends in May and you can do whatever you want if you think you have the powers. I have written my will. When I gave it to my wife, she cried all night. If I die at 62 it will not be new, many of my mates have gone long time ago and If I die today, I will be fulfilled but let it be on recorded that I died resisting the invasion and killing of my people.
“I will never support a Fulani man to become president. If there is another person who is ready to work with me and ensure the security of my people, I will work with him,” Ortom said.
Speaking on his relationship with Governor Wike, Governor Ortom said, “many have wondered why I have chosen to swim with Wike. Many have wondered why I have chosen to walk with him in the midst of storms and threats and also fire and brimstone. Many have wondered, but I still remember that this is the man who stood with us during our trying moments.
“He came out and did not fear the threats about federal might and what have you. I will stand with him and I remain with him because I am not a betrayer.
“When I was attacked by the Fulani terrorists. Wike came out and told Nigerians that if you kill Ortom, you have killed Nigeria.
“He was very firm in condemning that attack. So we appreciate him. Here is a man that did not keep quiet when Benue State was in turmoil and Benue State was in travails. When Benue State was under siege and challenged by the same Fulani herdsmen.
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State in his remark said the G-5 Governors of the PDP which he christened the ‘Intergruty Governors’ were on a mission to rescue Nigeria.
He said they were not seeking personal engradisement nor fight anybody but were only asking for the right things to be done.
He said it was incumbent on anyone who entered into an agreement to respect it saying “all we are asking for is inclusivity, justice, equity and fairness in the PDP. The way we are, people are trying to see how they can break us, but they cannot. We are bonded to save Nigeria.
“These are Governors who can come out and tell you black is black, yes is yes because leadership is about integrity and anyone who does not show integrity should not be trusted. And anyone who does not respect agreements when he does not have power you cannot expect him to respect an agreement when he has power.”
Governor Wike who described “Ortom as a good man” charged the people of the state to support him, noting that he had stood and given his all for his people.
First published in Vanguard
