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By Innocent Oweh
Abuja – Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has revealed that his decision to
stand on the part of truth and adopting
the anti-open grazing Act has exposed his life to constant threats from
“powerful forces” at the federal level.
He
however vowed to speak the truth at the risk of his own life, insisting that
“the era where state executives sometimes promote sycophancy and mediocrity was
gone for good”.
He
said this against the backdrop of reactions that trailed his face-off with the
Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, since the killings, occasioned by
herdsmen and farmers started in Benue state.
According to him, he has resolved to offer himself as a
sacrificial lamb to ensure that the truth prevailed as he noted that the truth
had been suppressed for too long.
Ortom
who spoke with a some State House correspondents at Makurdi, the Benue State
Capital at the weekend, said: “The Bible says ‘you shall know the truth and the
truth will set you free.’ Nigeria today, we have no business being where
we are. We would have been far ahead of where we are today. It’s just that for
a long time, we have suppressed the truth.
“But
the truth is that I have decided to offer myself. If it will require me to pay
the supreme sacrifice for saying the truth, I’m ready to do it because the time
has come that we must stop promoting sycophancy and mediocrity.
“We
must promote the truth. We must respect the constitution and the rule of law.
The constitution and the law of our land is the only thing that can guide us to
greater height.
“It’s
the only thing that can lead us to where we want to be. It’s only thing that
can promote and project us to rank with other countries that are doing well.
“Was
it not just yesterday we said ‘Ghana must go?’ Why is it that on West African
soil today the whole world is turning their attention whether in investment or
whatever? Ghana has become a reference point against Nigeria.”
The
governor noted that with his age and the positions that he had held in
government, he was more concerned now with his contribution to humanity,
regretting that he was being persecuted for doing the right thing for his
people.
He
added: “And today, for the persecution that am going through, for doing what is
right then, I’ve become a target? For saying that ‘look, enough is enough,
stone Age laws should be repealed even if they were laws or if they were
policies, we should discard them because they will not help us.
“The
truth is that I felt so sad when the Minister of Defence and followed by the IG
of Police were acting the script of Miyetti Allah instead of doing their jobs
that they are collecting tax papers money for every month which am also
involved in.
“How
can you say that it’s the Prohibition of Open Grazing and Provision of Ranching
Law 2017 in Benue State that has brought those killings?”
Wondering
why there were killings attributed to Fulani herdsmen in other states without
anti-open grazing law, Governor Ortom, explained that “this law is a necessity
arising from the killings that were taking place and for us, we sought to bring
a permanent solution to the perennial problem of herdsmen and farmers clashes.”
He
argued that the lack of action against the perpetrators of the killings
was deliberate as the promoters of the violence were known to law
enforcement agencies.
The
governor however applauded the media for highlighting the plight of Benue
people in the hands of the marauding herdsmen and called for a change of heart
from security agencies to bring the problem to a complete stop.
Ortom
further said: “So, it’s not about the law. It is deliberate. We live in a
country where people will come out in the name of Miyetti Allah and issue
threats that they are coming to attack, that they will mobilize people to
invade the land and take over the land. And even when you report to the
authorities, no action is taken and they expect you to keep quiet.
“When
you are a leader elected by the people and they are looking unto you for
protection, what do you expect me to do? I should speak.
“And
of course, when I speak, the medIa is able to alert the whole world and today,
the whole world appreciates the magnitude of the problem that am going through.
“How
can you live in a state and you have seven IDP camps hosting more than 100,000
people and 60 percent of these people children who should be in their schools.
“They
are being denied their legitimate right, which we as leaders are supposed to
give them, because of the non-performance of people who are saddled with
sensitive responsibilities in this country to provide security for lives and
property.
“So,
it is painful and really unfortunate and I expect those people who are responsible
for enforcing the laws of our lands and ensuring security for lives and
property who have demonstrated incompetence because of what is going on…take
for instance, the president directed the IG of Police to relocate to Benue
state to ensure that these killings stop.
“The
IG came here one day and left and he is sitting in Abuja and he has chosen to
send his PPRO to be insulting me on Channels Television for doing what is right
and for him not doing his job.”
SOURCE: https://independent.ng/life-threats-insisting-anti-open-grazing-law-ortom/
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