Nytise made the declaration at the 70th anniversary celebration thanksgiving mass of the Knights of Saint Mulumba Nigeria, at the St. Leo Catholic Church, Ikeja, on Sunday.

Nytise, a knight, noted that banditry had turned majority of farmers in Benue into destitute and could lead to food insecurity in the country.

“Many of our prime farmers are in IDP camps having been rendered homeless by rampaging bandits.

“Those are the farmers the state and the country rely on for farm produce; they are languishing in camps, being fed with ration by the state government.

“The state depends on revenue from farm produce. At the moment we are at crossroads without the active contribution of those farmers as they cannot access their farms because of fear of being kidnapped,’’ he said.

Nytise called on Christians to go into politics so as to wrest power and admonished them not to lose faith, but to continue to pray for God’s intervention in Nigeria.

The anniversary is a year-long event that will end on June 4, 2023.

It will be celebrated nationwide and will be marked by the inauguration of humanitarian projects as well as the enlightening of the public on national issues.

The theme for the 70th anniversary is: “Appraising the past, redefining the present and reshaping the future.

Source: NAN

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The Presidency attacked Ortom in a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, on Tuesday.

It said rather than find solution to the problem of inherited unpaid salaries and pension arrears, Ortom had been blaming President Muhammadu Buhari for his failure.

The Presidency said having benefitted from the bailout fund and other facilities made available to state governments by the Buhari administration, Ortom had no justification for blaming Buhari.

The Presidency said Nigeria had had enough of a politician like Ortom who blamed others as a diversion for their inability to improve citizens’ lives.

The statement reads in full:

“There are two types of politicians in Nigeria today. The first are politicians who are leaders that offer solutions to the challenges facing the voters and the country. They bring forward policies, and implement them, to improve the lives of others.

“The second, politicians who offer excuses for the challenges voters face. They avoid ideas and instead blame others for problems they have either not solved or have themselves created.

“President Muhammadu Buhari is a leader. He inherited a treasury that had been emptied by successive previous administrations – and he sought and succeeded in repatriating billions of dollars of stolen funds from overseas. His administration discovered more than 500,000 bank accounts operated by Ministries, Agencies and Departments. In these accounts, the money belonging to the government was kept. Same government agencies went to the banks to borrow money kept by sister agencies at exorbitant interest rates. What is more, some of the signatories had left the service or were “unknown” and so no one had access to the funds. MDAs are now compelled to use the Treasury Single Account, TSA, domiciled in the Central Bank of Nigeria. And the President brought forward the first and only plan to address farmer-herder clashes in 100 years, supporting states to rediscover grazing reserves and create ranching lands that have successfully reduced tensions while increasing harmony and saving lives.

Governor Samuel Ortom, office holder, is that other politician. He inherited unpaid salaries and pension arrears – and rather than find a way to raise the funds to pay them, he has blamed the President.

This is a President who has not failed to pay the salary of those working for the federal government and declared the failure of states to do so “a national disaster.”

“To avert this, he had, at various times lent money to the states in excess of N1.682 trillion, and Benue, Mr Ortom’s state did not miss out on all occasions: Salary Bailout, Excess Crude Loan and Budget Support loan, each repayable in 20 years. Lagos for instance didn’t collect any of the loans. A few other states declined to take one or two. Mr Ortom, an office holder who collected on all occasions, currently holds the country’s longest record of unpaid salaries and pensions, has no reason, absolutely no reason, to blame President Buhari for the mess in which he put his state and its workers.

“Having first come claiming that his predecessors created the arrears, it was his business to prove that he was better by paying. Instead of doing that, he joined them! And while he runs up even further salary and pension debts on top of those he was bequeathed, instead of respecting the voters who elected him to office, he publicly attacks them in unprintable words and has raised his own thuggish militia to harass and violate them.

“The Governor now claims the voters wish to be “rescued by the PDP” and “regret voting for Buhari.” The voters, of course, will not be asked to vote for the President again because – as a leader – President Buhari and the All Progressives Congress, APC respect term limits and the constitution, and will stand down next year at the end of his second democratically elected mandate. It seems unlikely, however, that any voter would seriously consider it possible to be “rescued” by a party that would today, allow a politician such as Governor Ortom in its ranks.

“What is certain, however, is that Nigeria has had enough of failed politicians who blame others as a diversion for their inability to improve citizens’ lives.”

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The Presidency made the accusation in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu.

The Presidency said the action of the governor was a stain on Nigeria.

The attack was against the backdrop of Ortom’s allegation that Buhari’s was supporting the Fulani against other ethnic groups.

His position was based on the president’s approval of the recommendations of a committee to review 368 grazing reserves across 25 states in the country.

The statement by the Presidency against Ortom reads:

STATEMENT CONCERNING SAMUEL ORTOM, THE GOVERNOR OF BENUE STATE

Governor Samuel Ortom has few political principles. We can see this from the fact that he has changed political party five times during his undistinguished career.

Every time he feels the wind may be blowing in a certain direction, he follows it.

Unfortunately, for the good citizens of Benue State, the most dangerous direction he blows in today is that of sectarianism and ethnicity.

In an attempt to boost his sinking political fortunes, Ortom takes the cheapest and lowest route possible by playing on ethnic themes – and in doing so knowingly causes deaths of innocent Nigerians by inciting farmers against herders, and Christians against Muslims.

Specifically, Ortom stirs up hatred by targeting one single ethnic group in Nigeria – using language reminiscent of the Rwandan genocide.

As was the case in Rwanda where the then Hutu leaders of the country incited their countrymen against each other, claiming there was a “secret Tutsi agenda” over the Hutu, Ortom claims there is a “secret Fulanization agenda” over other ethnic groups in his state and in Nigeria. This is a copy of the language of Hutu Power – which falsely, and intentionally, accused the Rwandan Tutsi of plans to dominate the country.

This wicked talk is aimed at giving cover to his so-called “policy” on the Ranches Establishment Law – which in reality is purely an act of denial of the law – intended to withhold rights and freedoms from one ethnic group alone, whilst inciting race hatred against them amongst all others.

These are not the actions of a man who should be trusted with running public services or holding public office.

For the governor of a major state in Nigeria to be politically driven by ethnic hatred is a stain on our country.

The good, and fair-minded people of Benue State deserve more than this, and we look forward to the next elections when they have an opportunity to restore its greatness.

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The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, made this declaration on Monday against the backdrop of the killing of 43 farmers in Borno State by terrorists.

The minister who spoke with journalists in Makurdi, Benue State, during his visit to Governor Samuel Ortom, said efforts by the government to get adequate equipment to fight terrorism had not yielded the desired result.

His words: “When we talk about terrorism, people don’t seem to appreciate that terrorism is not a local issue, it is a global issue and there is no part of the world that doesn’t experience its own pocket of terrorism.

“But you must also note that we are dealing with terrorists who are financed globally and we also need more support from global partners.

“For instance, Nigeria has made an attempt to acquire a better and more effective platform to deal with terrorists, but for one reason or the other we have been denied this platform, these weapons and without adequate weapons or platform, we remain at the mercy of terrorists.

“You see fighting terrorists is not a joke because what actually happened in Borno State is unfortunate, but you must also look at the strategy of the terrorists.

“Terrorists use media and publicity as oxygen.

“So when they go on this kind of mindless killing of people, it is not that the government is not doing enough, terrorism whether in Afghanistan or anywhere in the world has the same concept: a group of people who are extremist in their thoughts who don’t think that you and me should be alive.”

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The event was held at N.K.S.T., Anyim loco local government area of the state.

Present at the occasion too were Tor Tiv, Prof. Ortese lorzua Ayatse; wife of Senator Suswam, Mrs. Yemisi Suswam and Governor Samuel Ortom among others.

Below are images from the event.

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Media aide to the Taraba State governor, Mr Bala Abu, said this in a telephone interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) following allegations by Tiv Youth Council, TYC, that the governor and Gen. Theophilus Danjuma were fuelling the crisis.

TYC had on Sunday at a news conference accused Governor Ishaku and TY Danjuma of inciting Jukun militia to attack Tiv people in the state.

The Tiv/Jukun crisis which erupted from Kente, a border town of Benue and Taraba had led to the loss of many lives including women and children in the last three months.

TYC president, Mr Mike Msuaan, had during the conference called on security agencies to investigate the governor and the former Chief of Army Staff for their alleged roles in the crisis.

According to him, the Tiv nation could not continue to be cannon fodder for the unity of the country.

Msuaan added: “These worrisome developments have further exacerbated the humanitarian challenge in the nation as we now have to grapple with an even burgeoning number of internally displaced persons (IDPs).

“The recent rape, maiming and killing of helpless Tiv students and workers of the Federal University, Wukari, is indeed one too many, deserving thorough investigation by the security agencies and enduring solutions to entrench peace.

“It is quite surprising that despite several attempts to extend the olive branch and make the warring parties embrace peace, the efforts have all fallen through midway with no tangible results,” Msuaan said.

But Abu while refuting the allegation exonerated the governor and Gen. Danjuma (rtd) from the crisis.

He explained that Ishaku and Ortom had adopted various methods including meeting with stakeholders from both tribes to ensure peace returned in the area.

“It is a grave allegation to say that someone in the status of Gov. Darius Ishaku and Gen. TY Danjuma will be sponsoring crisis.

“The truth is that there is history to the crisis between the two ethnic groups (Jukun and Tiv).

“I have visited the crisis area with the governor on five different occasions within two years that I have worked with him and our purpose of going there was to interface with the people living in that area.

“The governor and his Benue counterpart met with stakeholders in that area and all these meetings were targeted at bringing about peaceful coexistence among the people living there.

“So, what will the governor or Gen. Danjuma benefit from the killing of Tiv people and besides the killing is not one sided.

“The two sides are killing each other, so why are Tiv youths accusing the governor for the crisis?

“Apart from the meeting by the two governors, the deputy governors have also met about six times; all these meetings were about finding peace; so, why the allegation that someone is arming the other people.

“I think the people making this allegation are the people who do not want the crisis to end otherwise both governors are doing so much to bring peace to the area.

“This allegation is false and it cannot stand. It is intended to smear the governor and Gen. Danjuma.

“There is no such thing involving these personalities and they are concerned about what is happening at the border between the two states.

“They have nothing to gain arming one side to fight the other; it is unfair for them to undermine all the peace efforts and blame the government,” he said.

The governor’s media aide noted that the recent crisis was caused by fight between two men from Jukun and Tiv who were quarrelling over a female friend.

He wondered why such issue should warrant killing of innocent people in spite of all peace agreement reached by both parties.

“The people most desire peace just like the governors have done; this is the only way to achieve peace.

“On behalf of the governor, the warring parties should sheath their swords.

“This was part of the governor’s Sallah message on Sunday. He appealed to the people in the name of God to sheath their swords and embrace peace; these were the governor’s message, I am only reechoing it.”

Source: NAN

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The declaration was made on Sunday by the Returning Officer of the supplementary election held on Saturday, Sebastian Maimako.

He announced that Ortom polled a total of 434,473 votes to beat Mr Jime who polled 345,155 votes.

During the March 9 governorship election, Ortom had 410,576 votes while Jime had 329,022 votes, thus leading with 81,554 votes.

The supplementary election was conducted in 204 polling units in no fewer than 22 local governments in the state.

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Ortom gave the warning during the president’s meeting with traditional rulers at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Makurdi, Benue State.

In a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, Ortom was quoted as saying that the president was known to be a man of integrity and that he was known to always keep his words.

Ortom said he would therefore like to believe that the president would keep his promise of conducting a credible election.

His words: “We believe you are a man of integrity and you keep your words. I will like to believe that you will not do anything to truncate our democracy.”

Meanwhile, the president has announced that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, will soon commence drilling for a deeper search for oil and gas in the Benue Trough.

This, he said, is the next step following the commencement of drilling in the Kolmani River area, located within Bauchi and Gombe states.

President Buhari who made the announcement while addressing traditional rulers in Benue State recalled that as Minister of Petroleum in the 70s, he had seen “very interesting seismic surveys” that promised oil and gas from the Chad Basin through the Benue Trough down to the Delta region.

He said for mostly commercial reasons, investment was directed to the Niger Delta given the promise of quicker results.

He narrated past efforts by him as Military Head of State to diversify the country’s sources of oil to strengthen its unity, promising that his administration would intensify efforts in this direction.

President Buhari welcomed the observation by the Tor Tiv, Professor James Ayatse, that peace had been restored to Benue State following the spike, sometimes back in farmers and herders’ clashes as well as the fact the President had so far conducted a decent and a peaceful campaign.

The President promised to look at requests for more roads, bridges and tertiary institutions made by the royal father.

Earlier, the Tor Tiv expressed appreciation to President Buhari, “for the way and manner you have conducted peaceful campaign, no riots, no violence, setting good example. We had a challenging time in 2016. Thanks for your intervention, for accepting our appeal to step up security. Operation Whirl Strike has succeeded in chasing away violent herders.”

He also called for a closer look at the border to stop “criminals and bandits” from crossing into Nigeria.

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The Presidency said his campaign had been clearly designed to stir division and hatred, and to divert the people’s attention from his inability to pay staff salaries and pensions for several months.

It therefore called on the governor to desist from basing his campaign on falsehood and focus on the dire issues confronting the state.

The statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu reads in part:

“It has been noted that the governor has been visiting churches in the state where he falsely tells congregations about President Buhari’s so-called plans to Islamise Benue State.

“This nonsense has formed the basis of his campaign, because he has nothing to offer Benue people.

“The allegations coming from Ortom were particularly unfair, when one considers how much support the governor received from the Federal Government, which supported his grazing laws as a means to end the farmer-herder crises that have plagued the state.

“If not for President Buhari’s insistence that the governor be given a chance to effect the law, he would have faced resistance from different sources and found it difficult to implement.

“While advising Ortom to immediately stop his dubious attacks on President Buhari, the Federal Government calls on the people of Benue State to not fall for Ortom’s deception and allow themselves to be hoodwinked by such a negative campaign.

“They should instead, ask him why he has refused to pay staff salaries and pensions for months, and what he did with the funding from the excess crude account which should ideally have gone towards addressing such payments.”

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