Ortom fires back at El-Rufai over critical comments

Insecurity: Ortom fires back at El-Rufai over critical comments

Benue Governor Ortom accuses Kaduna Governor El-Rufai of religious and ethnic bigotry

The Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has criticised his counterpart in Kaduna, Nasir El-Rufai, over comments berating Mr Ortom’s call to the federal government on matters of insecurity.

A fortnight ago, Mr Ortom, on video, called on the federal government and President Muhammadu Buhari to rise up to their responsibilities.

The governor was reacting to the bloodshed at one of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in the state, saying over 70 lives had been lost to violent killings in Makurdi local government in two weeks.

learnt that the video was played during a webinar organised by the Africa Leadership Group on Thursday.

Commenting on the clip, Mr El-Rufai said: “I did not hear what Governor Ortom said (in the video) but I know him and he is not somebody I take very seriously, frankly. He has other issues of governance that he is using the Federal Government as a punching bag to distract attention from his failures.”

Mr El-Rufai further said Mr Ortom is owing Benue teachers and public servants many months’ salaries.

Reacting in a statement on Saturday, Mr Ortom, through his spokesperson, Terver Akase, said Mr El-Rufai who “has failed in several aspects as Governor of Kaduna has no moral justification to accuse another Governor.”

He went on to accuse his Kaduna counterpart of religious and ethnic bigotry, calling him unprintable names.

A governor who has divided the good people of Kaduna against one another by not hiding his hatred of indigenes of the state on account of religion and ethnicity is not qualified to judge another governor on any issue whatsoever. A Governor who chose a Muslim deputy in a state where Christians have a huge population is certainly not one to preach unity and peaceful co-existence.