Samuel OrtomThe Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has accused the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democracy Party (PDP) to which he belongs, Atiku Abubakar, of lying against him and demanded publicly apologize over his comment that he (the governor) is profiling Fulani herdsmen.
Governor Ortom said that the comment about him profiling Fulani herdsmen by the PDP presidential candidate was a disgrace to him and the people of his state. He denied the allegation saying that he didn’t profile any Fulani herdsmen, but that the Fulanis stole cows from his farm.
The governor, who was addressing youths that protested in his honour said that though Atiku had apologized to him personally over his comment about Fulani, but that he (Atiku) had refused to apologize publicly.
Atiku had earlier accused Ortom of profiling Fulanis at the interactive forum organized by the Arewa Consultative Forum in Kaduna.
The governor reminded Atiku that only the Fulanis cannot make him president in the 2023 general election.
“I vehemently condemn the statement against me by Atiku. When it got to me, I chatted with him through a WhatsApp message and he apologized but declined to make a public apology.
“You cannot undress an elder like me in public and come back to dress me in the room. Let it be on record that at no point did I tell him that Benue people were stealing my cows. He lied against me and I take exception to this and demand an apology. It is unbecoming of a presidential candidate to tell lies.
“I never profiled Fulanis and did not say all of them are bad. They are my friends, they can even go into my bedroom. I have never sent any Fulani man away.
“But I’m against the Fulani terrorist coming from Niger, Chad, Senegal, Mali. He must do a retraction. If he does not, on the day of the election we will vote according to the election.
“We cannot vote for a president who will continue the carnage against our people. He wants to use me as a scapegoat. Atiku is unfair to the people. You think Fulani will make you President, you lie. You have committed sacrilege against the Benue people.
“I want to assure all ethnic groups and even foreigners of their safety in the land. I want to assure Benue people that under my watch such people will be apprehended.
“Our baby is PDP you do not throw away the baby and the bath water. Benue State is PDP and PDP is Benue and I remain obedient servant,” Ortom remarked.
