* Urges incumbent to close rank, rally everyone
George Okoh in Makurdi
Former Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, has called on Nigerians to support his successor, Hyacinth Alia, over the spate of attacks by criminals including herdsmen in the state.
Ortom lamented that the state was under siege by suspected armed herders despite the existence of anti-open grazing law meant to prevent armed herders’ influx and herders-farmer conflicts.
He made this known at a public lecture delivered in Makurdi by Prof. Samuel Ovuete Aghalino of the History Department, University of Ilorin, as part of activities marking his (Ortom’s) 63rd birthday celebration.
Urging the Benue people to rise to the challenge, Ortom said the incumbent governor, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, and himself, could not do it alone.
He therefore, advised Alia, to sheathe his sword and find ways to work with the SGF to enable the people of the state benefit from the position, which according to him, was being occupied by a Benue indigene for the first time in the history of Nigeria.
“Benue State is our state, we have no other state other than Benue State. We need peace but we need to be strong. There are challenges, the challenges are beyond the SGF.
“I appreciate the SGF for his goodwill message. He is my father figure, he is my leader, he is my mentor. I appreciate him for what God has used him to do in my life.
“I also appreciate the Governor of Benue State for his goodwill message, especially second to the last paragraph in which he described me as a statesman.
“Benue State had never had an opportunity to have an SGF. The governor must sheathe his sword and find ways to work with the SGF so that all of us will enjoy the dividends of having an SGF and a governor. We are all his subjects, we are available.
“Elections were fought and elections were won. Litigations took place and God vindicated him. Power does not come from anywhere; it comes from God.
“After Supreme Court judgement, my governorship candidate congratulated him and I followed suit and congratulated him and I made myself available if there were issues. So, it is his responsibility to do the needful so that Benue State will be at peace.
“Benue is under siege and this siege, the governor cannot do it alone, I cannot do it alone, the SGF cannot do it alone. It requires all of you,” he said.
In his remarks, former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Chief Michael Kaase Aõndoakaa, asked Alia to amend the penal code of the anti-open grazing law and take the glory of the amendment if he did not want to share the glory of introduction of the law with Ortom.
