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Tag: Ortom

  • Miyetti Allah urges FG to ignore Ortom’s request for the proscription of the association.

    Miyetti Allah urges FG to ignore Ortom’s request for the proscription of the association.

    The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has called on the Federal Government to ignore Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue’s request for the proscription of the association.

    The National Secretary of MACBAN, Alhaji Baba Ngelzarma, made the appeal in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

    “We are not at all surprised at the recent call by Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue State for the proscription of our association (MACBAN) going by his antecedents,” he said.

    The scribe alleged that Ortom’s hatred for the Fulani was not in doubt, adding that “he has proved beyond reasonable doubt that he is an unreliable leader.

    “Whose stock in trade is fanning the embers of hatred between peaceful Nigerians that have been living in peace for many centuries.

    “We, therefore, call on the Federal Government to ignore this unpatriotic call by a wayward Governor who is hell bend on putting this country into unnecessary crisis,” Ngelzarma said.

    The national secretary said the association had contributed to peace building in Benue, adding that MACBAN spared no efforts in helping the good people of the state to live in peace with the pastoralists.

    “MACBAN is not and will never be a terrorist organisation.

    “We are fully registered with the regulatory agencies with clear vision and mission to foster peaceful coexistence to our teeming members as well as serving humanity positively.”

    Ngelzarma however advised Ortom to “concentrate on delivering the dividends of democracy to the good people of Benue” instead of chasing phantom shadows.

  • Just In: Benue Gov, Ortom fires eight commissioners

    Just In: Benue Gov, Ortom fires eight commissioners

    Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has partially dissolved the State Executive Council with the sacking of eight commissioners.

    This was contained in a statement by Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Anthony Ijohor issued on Tuesday in Makurdi, indicated that eight commissioners were, however, retained.

    According to the statement, those retained include: the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Micheal Gusa; Commissioner of Health and Human Services, Dr. Joseph Ngbea; Commissioner of Finance, David Olofu, and Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Solid Mineral, Bernard Unenge.

    Others were Commissioner of Housing and Urban Development and Supervising Commissioner for the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, Chief Ekpe Ogbu; Commissioner of Energy, Science and Technology Overseeing Ministry of Education, Dr. Godwin Oyiwona.

    On the list were the Commissioner of Women Affairs and Social Development overseeing, Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Mrs Nylazungwe Igirgi, and Commissioner of Rural Development overseeing Ministry of Water Resources, Engr. Victor Ukaha.

    Meanwhile the commissioner-nominees according to the statement, included former lawmaker, Dr. Kester Kyenge, Engr. Uungwa Sachia, Agbatar Rodney, Michael Inalegwu, Agber Senjamin Aernan, Dr. Jane Aja, Saawuan Tamongo, and Levi Nguher

    The outgone commissioners were advised to hand over to Permanent Secretaries in their respective Ministries.

    The Governor expresses his profound appreciation to the outgoing commissioners for their service to the State and wish them well in their future endeavours,” part of the statement read.

  • Tiv Youths demand apology from Gov. Ortom over “drunkards” statement; Ortom says “Never”

    Tiv Youths demand apology from Gov. Ortom over “drunkards” statement; Ortom says “Never”

    Tiv Youth Council Worldwide (TYCW), a Benue-based socio-cultural group on Tuesday demanded an apology from the state governor, Mr Samuel Ortom, for referring to Benue indigenes as drunks.

    It said in a statement issued in Abuja by its president, Mr Mike Msuaan that it was regrettable that the governor made such derogatory remark on a people surviving on self-help.

    It noted that it was disheartening that Gov. Ortom who had neither been able to initiate any development project nor pay basic salaries, and pensions and gratuities of retirees, could make such remark.

    “While inaugurating the new building of RCN Embassy Church in Makurdi, the governor was quoted to have accused his critics of `drinking beer from 9 a.m. and sleeping all-day long,’ ’’ it stated.

    According to TYCW, the governor has consistently ignored counsel to partner with relevant Federal Government agencies to attract development to the state rather than dishing out verbal insults to perceived enemies.

    “We have appealed to Gov. Ortom several times to please concentrate on governance and entrench good governance and responsible leadership in the state.

    “We have wondered why development has continued to elude us under his leadership, especially at a time states created several years after Benue have moved with the speed of light.

    “Today, we are sad that the governor has moved from lack of development to verbally dishing out insults.

    “We have listened to an audio recording in some national dailies and online media that while inaugurating a church building recently, the governor said his people drank from 9 a.m.

    “He said in the audio recording that Tiv people and went to bed from beer parlours only to wake and insult the governor.

    “So far, there has been no rebuttal from the government.

    “The response from the Chief Press Secretary, Mr Nathaniel Kyur, was a face-saving and damage control blunder in which he accepted that Gov. Ortom made the comment but it was targeted at APC members.

    “We join well-meaning Nigerians to strongly condemn such use of derogatory words on the good people of Benue and demand an immediate and unreserved apology from the governor,’’ the group stressed.

    It maintained that such demeaning reference to a people should be condemned by all well-meaning people and called on the Benue Traditional Council and religion institutions to call the governor to order.

    “We have consistently tasked Gov. Ortom to develop the state and to create an enabling environment for the people of Benue to excel.

    “The governor’s comment is very painful because he has not conducted any employment exercise since he came to office in 2015.

    “In 2019, he promised to employ 5,000 teachers; lately, he reduced the number to 2,000, but this has remained in the realm of wishful thinking.

    “The governor has refused to pay workers and pensioners in the state for several months,’’ the TYCW added.

    It stated also that since he was elected governor, Ortom had not built any industry to meaningfully employ the people of Benue.

    “We have continuously appealed to him, to liaise with relevant Federal Government institutions to rebuild, resettle and return Internally-Displaced People to their ancestral homes.

    “This appeal fell on deaf ears. We have consistently reminded him that even in Borno which is almost a war zone, Gov. Zulum has been resettling his people,’’ the TYCW added.

    Reacting to the demand for an apology, Kyur, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, said Gov. Ortom will not apologise over statements that were clearly products of mischief by a news hound.

    Kyur told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the reporter who wrote the “mischievous story has already tendered an apology to the governor, hence there was no point demanding an apology from Ortom.

    “Our earlier statement on the matter suffices.

    “If anybody has an audio clip of the message, let him tender it and he will be made to present the original in court.

    “Ortom will not apologise for what he did not say,’’ Kyur insisted.

  • PDP’s performance in Anambra sign of good future’—Gov Ortom

    PDP’s performance in Anambra sign of good future’—Gov Ortom

    The governor of Benue State, Mr Samuel Ortom, Wednesday, said the future holds bright for the Peoples Democratic Party, considering how the party fared in the November 6, 2021 governorship election in Anambra State.

    Governor Ortom stated this after congratulating Prof Charles Soludo of All Progressives Grand Alliance who won the polls.

    According to him, the brilliant performance of the PDP in the election ‘is an indication that the party will harness from the experiences, and plan to do better in 2023’.

    He said the outcome of the election, a few weeks after the PDP national convention, showed that the party had been ‘rebranded, re-engineered and restrategising to takeover leadership at the national level come 2023’.

    Governor Ortom, therefore, called on old and intending members of the PDP to revalidate their membership of the party and also register new members using its online portal.

  • Ortom slams Buhari again, says worst military rule better than PMB-led administration

    Ortom slams Buhari again, says worst military rule better than PMB-led administration

    Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has said President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration cannot even be compared to military governments.

    Ortom who spoke to journalists in Makurdi after his return from Abuja said the nation had not been so divided as it was under the present administration, stressing that the worst military government was better than present administration.

    He said the success of the Peoples Democratic Party convention on Saturday had rekindled the hope of Nigerians and assured that the party was poised to take over power.

    He said, “We (PDP) are determined to take over leadership of this country, come 2023 because of the failure of APC led government.

    “They are being deceitful and not being able to secure our land. They have rather succeeded in destroying our economy, our security, our social life, and everything you can think of in this country.

    “I have been privileged to read the history of Nigeria and those that have been destroying us including the military. Usually, we say that the worst democratic government is better than the military government.

    “That is what we used to say but for the purpose of APC-led government, I want to say that the worst military government we have had in Nigeria is better than this particular government led by APC.

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    Buhari is worst president, Ortom is right
    “I have never seen anything like this; people who don’t want you to tell them the truth or advise them try to twist things and tell the world that you are against them.”

    The governor admonished Nigerians to join hands with the opposition PDP to rescue the country.

    He alleged that the farm settlement being canvassed by the present regime was aimed at populating the nation with foreign Fulanis, adding that Benue would continue to oppose the bid to take over Benue land.

  • Independence Day: Nothing to celebrate at 61 – Ortom

    Independence Day: Nothing to celebrate at 61 – Ortom

    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.

    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 there 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 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.”

  • Ortom tackles Miyetti Allah for asking Buhari, NASS to stop governors from enacting anti-open grazing laws

    Ortom tackles Miyetti Allah for asking Buhari, NASS to stop governors from enacting anti-open grazing laws

    One hundred security operatives have so far lost their lives in the course of enforcing the Benue State Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranching Establishment Law of 2017.

    Governor Samuel Ortom disclosed on Tuesday in Makurdi, the state capital, while receiving the new Commissioner of Police, Mr Tunji Akingbola.

    He further stated that the perceived failure of the Federal Government to come down hard on foreign Fulani herdsmen bearing weapons poses security threats to the lives and safety of security forces and Nigerians in general.

    “Why do we need to allow Fulani from all these countries to come and destroy our land? That is the point we are saying. They have given unnecessary stress and risks to our security agencies in Nigeria.

    “I say more than 100 security men have been killed in the course of providing security for lives and properties in Benue State in the course of implementing this our law.”

    According to the governor, the affected victims include personnel of the army, police, Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

    He commended security agencies for putting in their best in safeguarding lives in the state, especially as it regards tackling the killings from herdsmen.

    Citing the law, Ortom explained that the Constitution empowers states to enact laws as long as it does not conflict with those existing laws in the country.

    The Benue governor also took a swipe at the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) for challenging state governments over the anti-open grazing laws in their respective domains.

    “Tell me why Miyetti Allah, a terrorist organisation who has taken responsibility for killings will come to challenge governors that laws shouldn’t have been made.

    “We have not committed any evil, we have done the right thing by ensuring we are law-abiding. That was why we legislated and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria provides that we are free to make laws as a state as long as it does not conflict with the provision of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Ortom stated further.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that the Secretary-General of MACBAN, Saleh Alhassan who spoke on Monday during a press conference in Abuja, said the law if passed would undermine the relative peace and stability currently enjoyed in the local communities, threaten the social order and exacerbate cattle rustling.

    “The National Assembly and Mr President should intervene and stop the current attempts by some state governments to criminalise our means of livelihood of cattle-rearing through enacting of satanic and obnoxious laws they call Anti-Grazing Law,” he noted.

  • Ortom fumes as Akume demands state of emergency in Benue

    Ortom fumes as Akume demands state of emergency in Benue

    Governor Samuel Ortom has attacked former governor George Akume for calling on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in Benue State.

    Akume had at a press conference in Abuja on Monday called for a state of emergency in Benue over high level of insecurity.

    But Ortom hits back at him through a statement from his Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase

    “We read the text of press conference addressed today in Abuja by the Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Senator George Akume with other All Progressives Congress, APC leaders from Benue State.

    “We had earlier alerted Benue people and other Nigerians to expect the said press conference. It is one in a series of an organized smear campaign against Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom.

    “As expected, Senator Akume and his group avoided responding to the issues of insecurity in the country which the Governor has repeatedly and rightly accused the Presidency of complicity.

    “The outing of George Akume and others in Abuja was nothing more than a massage on the ego of the Presidency to curry personal favours. As long as he and his group secure their meal tickets, Benue can go to hell. A media attack on Governor Ortom instantly attracts a package from the Villa,”the statement said.

    According to the statement, Akume and his group must have been under intense pressure to hold the press conference and hurl vituperation against the Governor,saying this, they had to do to keep their jobs.

    It said the leadership of APC in Benue, having lost grip of the party membership in the state with hundreds defecting to PDP every week, now saw a window of opportunity to relaunch themselves into relevance.

    “As a two-term former Governor of Benue State, it is shocking that Akume is now calling for the declaration of state of emergency in the state to dismantle democratic structures.

    “Is it not contradictory that Akume faults Governor Ortom over his statements on the President’s handling of the security situation in the country but goes ahead to brand the Governor as a criminal and sponsor of militia? We challenge the Minister to provide evidence to back his claim that the Governor is involved in corruption and sponsors militia.

    “We recall that when he was Governor, Akume challenged the then President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo for not doing enough to end the Jukun/Tiv crisis on the border of Benue and Taraba State. He is on record to have confronted President Obasanjo and said uncomplimentary things to the President. Now he finds it convenient to give lectures on respect for hierarchy in government and age,” the statement added.

    On Akume’s call for a probe, the statement said “we have no objection to that. Governor Ortom is running a transparent administration and has nothing to hide. We however invite Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC to begin their probe from 1999 when Akume became Governor. The N2 billion that went missing at the twilight of his administration is yet to be accounted for.

    “Akume’s utterances in 2019 are still fresh in the minds of Benue people. After the state came under herdsmen attacks and hundreds were killed, he accused Benue people of killing themselves. That the people responded to him by voting him out of the Senate confirmed their anger towards him. Lastly, we expected APC to hold the press conference in Benue to test their popularity among the people of the state.”

  • Attack on Buhari: Benue APC boycotts Ortom’s meeting

    Attack on Buhari: Benue APC boycotts Ortom’s meeting

    Benue State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has turned down the invitation extended to it by Govermor Samuel Ortom to attend the stakeholders meeting on the proposed privatization of state industries.

    In a statement issued by the party’s State caretaker Publicity Secretary, James Orgunga, titled, ‘Benue APC Not Party To Ortom’s Ineffectual Stakeholders’ Meetings Anymore’ hinged the party’s decision on what he described as frequent attacks on the federal government by governor Ortom.

    The stakeholders meeting is slated for Monday, August 30, 2021 in Government House, Makurdi.

    The opposition party in the state said, “It is apprehensive about the recent grandstanding of Governor Samuel Ortom and his team, especially now that they are quick to malign and castigate the federal government for failing the Benue people without presenting proofs of the governor’s love for the state which should manifest through a credible scorecard of overwhelming tactile projects.”

    Orgunga stated that the party had shown understanding with the Ortom government in the past by voluntarily giving free ideas that would improve the state but regretted that such ‘good ideas’ were not implemented.

    The APC in the state which argued that the present administration in the state had failed to live up to the basic requirements of it’s leadership mandate has however resorted to baseless blame games and media denigration of the president, the regime he claimed had provided more verifiable projects in Benue than the governor.

    “With this conspicuous crave by the governor to canonize himself and demonize President Buhari and the APC, we WARN all APC members to steer clear of these so- called stakeholders’ meetings that are manifestly intended to legitimize the governor’s unholy TV outbursts; the new dimension he has adopted to launch his 2023 campaigns as well as cover up his many failings.

    “Benue APC cannot continue to expend workable ideas on a government that honestly lacks policy direction and is merely clutching at straws hence, we urge all our members to distance themselves from this meeting as the party shall not hesitate to apply sanctions against any recalcitrant member found at the meeting.

    “Already, the Ortom administration having failed to build even a single industry for the state in more than six years, has resolved to SELL all the legacy companies of the state that were established and built by his predecessors, an action he is scouting for other accomplices to validate his deeds with unsophisticated endorsements.

    “It is widely reported that some helpless groups that are tied to his apron string have been cajoled into giving a nod to this destructively unclear privatization agenda but the APC in Benue State shall no longer share tables with people who are out to ruin the entire fortunes of Benue through reckless spendings on media wars against the presidency but refusing to invest in agriculture where the state has comparative advantage.

    “We once again, re-echoe that the APC in Benue is not on the same page with Governor Samuel Ortom in his mindless billingsgate against President Muhammadu Buhari and the party is diametrically opposed to his cunning privatization agenda which is a conscious step towards putting the final nail in Benue’s underdevelopment coffin,” the statement read in part.

  • Ortom stings Buhari again, says PMB deliberately destroyed Nigeria

    Ortom stings Buhari again, says PMB deliberately destroyed Nigeria

    The Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom on Thursday, lashed out at the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government.

    Ortom in a statement sent to newsmen lampooned the President again stating that he(Buhari) has deliberately destroyed Nigeria.

    He also called on the Presidency to address the issues stated in his earlier statement criticising their performance since taking power in 2015.

    “We read the statement released by the Presidency in response to Governor Samuel Ortom’s recent interview on Channels Television in which he raised a number of concerns bordering on the worsening security situation across the country.”

    “The tone of the said statement shows the quality of Presidency Nigeria currently has. They abandoned the message and went for the messenger. To describe as ‘undistinguished’, the career of a man who has held many key positions at the state and national levels proves that those who penned the piece were under the influence of some negative substances.”

    “For the information of Garba Shehu and his cohorts, Governor Ortom rose to become a Local Government Chairman, State Publicity Secretary of National Centre Party of Nigeria; State Treasurer of All People’s Party, State Secretary as well as State Deputy Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, National Auditor of PDP, Minister of the Federal Republic and now a two-term Governor.”

    “The Governor spoke the minds of most Nigerians on specific areas of failure of the Presidency and its complicity in the heinous crimes committed against citizens by armed Fulani herdsmen and other terrorists. Instead of taking the Governor on those points, Shehu went chasing vain and mundane matters in a desperate attempt to malign the Governor.”

    “We demand an apology from the Presidency for accusing Governor Ortom of stirring ethnic tensions and calling for genocide. The Presidency has never hidden its hatred for the Governor and its latest outing only confirms that fact.”

    “We are aware of the Presidency’s plot to cause crisis in Benue and make the state ungovernable and declare a state of emergency. Whenever each of their plans fails as it happened with the impeachment attempt on the Governor before the 2019 elections, they resort to cheap blackmail.”

    “They accuse Governor Ortom of making a law to chase Fulanis out of Benue; a claim that lacks substance and only goes to prove that they have not read the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law of the state. They can’t justify their narrative that Governor Ortom hates Fulanis when some of his appointees are Fulani.”

    “The Presidency must realize that no amount of blackmail and media attack can discourage the Governor from speaking against the injustice and pain the present government has caused Nigerians. No amount of sponsored smear campaigns against the Governor can force him to repeal the law on open grazing of cattle in Benue State.”

    “We advise the Presidency to focus on ending the killing of innocent Nigerians, fix the economy as it promised and stop the stinking corruption under their watch.”

    “They can’t run away from their responsibility. They were brought to power to serve the country not to oppress the people and suppress their freedom of speech. They are on record to have publicly promised during their campaigns before the 2015 elections that they would respect the rights and freedoms of Nigerians if elected. Sadly, what the people of this country have got from the current government is the opposite of that promise.”

    “Governor Ortom stands by his words that this is not the first time a Fulani man is President of Nigeria, and also that it is the first time the country has been divided on ethnic lines with lopsided appointments in promotion and celebration of nepotism, marginalization and open repugnance of other Nigerians. At no time in the history of this country have impunity, blatant disregard for laws, sectarian as well as ethnic differences been fueled by the government as we now see.”

    “The agenda of the present administration is to Islamize and Fulanize the nation like former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Professor Kunle Olawunmi and other patriotic Nigerians have rightly said.”

    “Governor Ortom urges the good people of this country to call the Presidency to order before it destroys Nigeria. If nothing is done fast to avert the impending disaster, armed herders, bandits and other terrorists will one day take over Aso Rock Villa and those occupying the Villa at the moment will willingly surrender to them and flee from the country.”

    “No day passes without reports of herdsmen and other terrorists killing defenseless Nigerians in parts of the country. The number of displaced people has risen to millions, yet, the Presidency wants everyone to remain silent while the country burns.”

    “Governor Samuel Ortom will not keep mute! Let it be on record that while the Presidency deliberately destroyed Nigeria, someone spoke against the evil.”

    “The Governor believes in the words of Dr Martin Luther King Jnr:

    “If peace means accepting second class citizenship, I don’t want it. If peace means keeping my mouth shut in the midst of injustice and evil, I don’t want it. If peace means being complacently adjusted to a reading status-quo, I don’t want peace. If peace means a willingness to be exploited economically, dominated politically, humiliated and segregated, I don’t want peace.”