Benue state Governor Samuel Ortom has, again, challenged President Muhammadu Buhari and his government to redeem his battered image by rescuing Nigerians from the apron strings of insecurity ravaging the country.
The Governor stated this in reaction to a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu saying he, Ortom, raised a false alarm about the worsening security situation in the country.
Ortom, in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Nathaniel Ikyur, noted that each time he speaks about the dreadful manner the Muhammadu Buhari led administration has handled the security situation in the country, his media aides and hangers on will attack his personality instead of addressing the issues raised.
He said instead of hurling insults at him, the Presidency should hold a referendum to get the feelings of Nigerians towards their ineptitude, complicity and clear lack of commitment and sincerity in protecting the people.
He described Mr Shehu as a man whose loyalty is for sale to the highest bidder saying “A man who betrays his former benefactor for a new pot of porridge does not possess the moral right to question me.
“Was it a false alarm from me that led to the terrorists’ attack on the convoy of President Buhari in his home state Katsina? Or was it a movie acting when terrorists broke into Kuje Correctional Centre right in the heart of Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory and released their colleagues? It is unfortunate that till date, no officer has been arrested or questioned for the lapses and clear cases of complicity by the security operatives attached to the Kuje facility.
“There are reports of over six jail breaks in the last seven years under the Buhari administration. If that is not a crying shame of failure on the part of the Presidency, we wonder what else qualifies as failure.”
While insisting that the Buhari administration cannot extricate itself from complicity regarding the evil visited on citizens of the country, Ortom said the Presidency has failed the integrity test and should rather accept its failure, apologize to Nigerians and seek help to salvage the situation.
“It is clear that the loud-mouthed presidential media aide is unaware that other states such as Zamfara, Kaduna, Sokoto and even Katsina where the President comes from are under siege. Is that also my false alarm that has given rise to the killings in other parts of this country?
Governor Ortom also took a swipe at Shehu when he branded him as an “opportunistic politician.”
“Shehu should be told that I 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. If Shehu thinks it is easy to win elections, he should test his popularity by contesting a Councillorship position in his local government area.”
He advised the Presidency to rather focus on ending the killing of innocent Nigerians, fix the economy as it promised and stop the stinking corruption under their watch, vowing that no amount of blackmail, persecution and media attack can discourage him from speaking against the injustice and pain the present government has caused Nigerians.