Following a statement issued by Presidency berating the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, over the latter’s claims that President Muhammadu Buhari is shielding terrorists and killer Fulani herdsmen inflicting carnage cross the country, the opposition Labour Party (LP) has weighed in on the exchange.
The Labour Party group, Thursday, posted a video depicting bandits, terrorists, some of them clad in uniforms of security operatives of government, and inspecting or testing newly supplied, sophisticated arms from unknown sources.
This is also as many have claimed that some of the armed men in the video may actually be security operatives of government.
The group declared that there is now need for the Presidency to respond accordingly to the Benue governor’s allegation, as the party stated: ‘or prove Ortom wrong’ on the post.
It would be recalled that, late Wednesday, the Presidency refuted claims by the Benue Governor, Orton that President Muhammadu Buhari is shielding those causing violence in some parts of the country.
Presidential Spokesperson, Garba Shehu, in a statement, said the Benue Governor ‘is fond of spreading falsehood.’
Shehu, who was reacting to a recent interview granted by the Governor, challenged Ortom to disclose the source of his information.
“In a recent interview, the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, claimed that high ranking security personnel had informed him personally that President Buhari had ordered security forces not to move against the Fulani herdsmen responsible for recent violence.
“These ridiculous claims are patently untrue. If he is as brave as he claims to be, let him name names. Let him name the military personnel who told him this story or forever shut up,” Shehu said.
The Presidential aide further noted that the Benue State Governor ‘was only whipping up sentiments ahead of the 2023 general elections.’
“It is disappointing that Ortom, who in the same interview describes himself as a child of God who believes in being lawful and respects the Nigerian constitution, felt the need to spread such a divisive lie. In a period of heightened insecurity, our politicians should be working to bring us closer together, not risking further violence by dishonestly seeking to further divide us along ethnic or religious lines.
“Fortunately, the cheap, dog whistle politics behind Ortom’s falsehood are plain for all to see. He is not the first opportunistic politician who has attempted to sow discord amongst his country’s people in the run-up to an election; sadly, he will not be the last.
“The Nigerian people will see him for what he is: an opportunist flaunting his wares as the country prepares to elect its next president; a man fond of posing in military fatigue who expects the country to believe Nigeria’s top security personnel would share high-level confidential information with him. To be clear: they do not,” Shehu added.
However, posting on its verified Twitter handle (@NGRLabourParty), Thursday afternoon, the Support group of the Labour Party wrote: “APC government should explain this video and prove Ortom wrong. It’s that simple.”