The Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has doubled down on his public display of resentment towards the Fulanis, saying he will never support the presidential ambition of anyone from the ethnic group.
In his latest tirade, the government tongue lashed the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, saying he would not support his ambition to rule the country.
The governor’s latest outburst is spurred by the renewed spate of killings in Benue state. Over fifty people have been killed by armed herders in less than two weeks in the North Central state.
“to hell with Atiku”, Ortom retorted while speaking when he hosted his colleagues from Rivers, Oyo, Abia and Enugu States to a dinner party held at the government house, Makurdi.
The four governors, Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, Seyi Makinde of Oyo and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, had arrived in Makurdi on Sunday for the official flag-off of the PDP governorship and parliamentary campaign scheduled for Monday.
The governor lamented the killing of 18 persons in his council area last Friday where a young man in his 20s had his eyes removed to send a message to him.
He said, “To hell with Atiku and anyone supporting him. They should go and tell him. You want me to be slave for a Fulani. It’s better I die. Anybody supporting Atiku is an enemy of Benue.
“My people are being killed and you want me to be quiet.
“My tenure ends in May and you can do whatever you want if you think you have the powers. I have written my will. When I gave it to my wife, she cried all night. If I die at 62, many of my mates have gone long time ago and If I die today, I’m a fulfilled person but let it be recorded that I died resisting the invasion and killing of my people.
“I will never support a Fulani man to become president. If there is another person who is ready to work with me and ensure the security of my people, I will work with him,” Ortom said.
Ortom condemned some Benue sons, particularly those at the National Assembly, who, according to him, are keeping mute over the killings going on in the state, saying, “From tomorrow, I’m turning my venom on the National Assembly members from the state who are romancing with Buhari to kill the Benue people.”