Ortom To Atiku: You Abandoned Us When Fulani Terrorists Were Killing Us

Dr Samuel Ortom, governor of Benue State, Sunday, told former Vice-President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar that people of the state are not happy with him for abandoning them during their trying times.

Governor Ortom stated this when he hosted Mr Atiku in Makurdi. Atiku was on a campaign tour to Benue State ahead of the 2023 presidential elections.

Ortom said, “Your visit to Benue as the ‘Zege Mule U Tiv’ is long overdue. But it’s better late than never. You are in your home, and we are happy to receive you.

“But let me say here that our people were not happy that you didn’t visit when terrorist Fulani groups were attacking and killing the people in Benue.”

Ortom however cleared the misconceptions that he referred to indigenous Fulani who he said had ‘lived with us’.

He lamented that terrorist Fulani groups from foreign countries, including Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore and Fulani Nationality Movement, FUNAM, were still terrorising the state and country without the federal government coming hard on them.

He expressed confidence that for him, the success of the PDP at the 2023 elections remains critical above his personal interests, stressing that what the party needs now is to remain united to reclaim and salvage the country.

Mr Atiku said he was unable to visit the state in its trying times because he was out of the country for further studies.

He then donated the sum of N50 million for the upkeep of the internally displaced persons in the state.

He said he had issues with the way the entire Fulani race was profiled as violent people, but admitted that he had reconciled with Governor Ortom for the clarifications he had given.

Atiku dismissed insinuations that he was silent during the crisis because, according to him, he had issued a number of press statements while overseas condemning the invasion.

The former vice president commended the party leaders in the state for their support to Governor Ortom.