Executive Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, has explained why he did not go to neighbouring Nasarawa State to welcome President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday.
There have been spurious rumours of a rift between Ortom and the President over what many considered a snub. Buhari made a state visit to Nasarawa state and while Ortom was not in attendance, he sent his deputy, Benson Abounu to represent him.
Ortom in a swift reaction said he did what he did as a mark of solidarity, arguing that he could not leave his people who were being killed by the marauding herdsmen to welcome the president, hence his reason to send his deputy to represent him.
Benue has been a hotbed of crisis as Herdsmen have terrorised the state, killing, maiming and destroying, so much so that the President had to make an order for the Inspector General of Police to visit the place and quell the problem– a job that Ortom is convinced that the police have botched.
On his refusal to travel to visit the President he said, “I was invited by my colleague from Nasarawa state over the visit of the President. As a mark of honour and respect for his office and that of the president, I have sent my deputy to represent me because I cannot leave the state when my people are being killed.”