The Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, on Tuesday visited President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, to discuss the security challenges rocking the country and how it is likely to threaten the 2023 general elections.
Speaking with newsmen after the meeting, Ortom stated that the nation was sitting on a keg of gun powder without meaningful progress being made on the issue of security.
He noted that if the insecurity challenge in the country persists, the 2023 elections would not hold.
The governor said: “It’s not just enough to say that one criticizes the policies of the President, but when he does a good thing, it is our responsibility to team up with him to ensure that it’s done because it is when we are peaceful when we have security that we can talk about tomorrow.
“I want to also appeal to Nigerians, 2023, yes to a politician is not far, but it’s still a long way. If we secure our country and everything is working fine, then we can talk about 2023, but with the way things are going, if we don’t secure the country, there is no way we can talk about 2023, that is why I always dismiss people who come to me to say we will contest this, we will contest that.
“For me, I want us, as leaders of this country, who have taken the oath of office, let us abide by those things we have said, work together as a team, leave politics aside, leave ethnicity aside, then secure the country, Nigeria. We have no other country than Nigeria.
“Today, we cannot go to Cameroon or Senegal or any other country and claim responsibility, so my appeal to everyone is to ensure that we work together. Security matters are not just for the security agencies alone. We as people who are being led have a responsibility, we who are leaders, have a responsibility.
“It is only when we team up that we’ll be able to surmount this challenge. But I think there shouldn’t be room for people who are creating problems for us. We have a constitution, we have laws of the land. If people are found wanting, they should be cautioned, they should be arrested, prosecuted and let the right thing be done.”
Recall that on Saturday, March 20, Samuel Ortom, was attacked by gunmen suspected to be herdsmen in his farm at Tyo Mu along Makurdi/Gboko road in Makurdi Local Government Area of the state.
He had narrated that 15 of the attackers, whom he described as ‘herdsmen’, trailed him to the river bank where he was on foot.
Meanwhile, the military has deployed troops to Tyo-Mu, the community where the Benue State Governor was attacked.
