By Sunday Iduh
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has called on Nigerians to unite, in order to save the country from the hands of those who have hijacked it, stating that some cabals have taken over the government at the federal level and are dragging Nigeria to the mud.
The governor who disclosed this in a chat with journalists on Tuesday at the Benue Lodge, Abuja said, “we are getting to a level that if actions are not taken to redeem the situation, one day we will wake up to the reality that bandits have taken over the country.”
According to him, “the presidency has not been fair in the affairs of this country. The government has demonstrated that they have no capacity to handle the situation.”
Governor Ortom said he agreed with the former Central Bank Governor, Lamido Sanusi who said “in the last six years, Nigeria has been taken back 40 years where we started.”
He maintained that the position of the former CBN governor was the truth, stating that anyone who is afraid of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, intimidations, blackmail accepts that nothing was wrong with Nigeria.
According to him, “an average person who stands for the truth, justice and fairness can attest to the fact that things are wrong in the country.”
He disclosed that the Federal Government was paying only lip service in its corruption fight, noting that if they were serious, some of the people still in government, who have been accused of one form of corruption practices or the other would not have remained in office till this moment.
The governor urged everyone to rise up to their responsibilities, in order to secure the country and continue to pray for the leadership and the country.
On his relationship with President Muhammadu Buhari, Governor Ortom pointed out that he relates and always pray for him even though, some people have constantly prevented him from seeing the President.
He stated that he believes in a united Nigeria and encouraged the media not to toe the path of sychophants and mediocres.
Governor Ortom expressed appreciation to the media for standing by him and the rest of Nigerians and for ensuring good reportage of the activities in the country.
“I want to assure you that whatever you are doing, you are doing it for yourselves, for your country men, your society and for everyone, including those who are foreigners.
“We have a collective responsibility to bring to the knowledge of all, what is happening and how we can overcome our challenges. As the fourth estate of the realm, you have a responsibility to disseminate information from government and then from the people.
“Don’t shy away from your responsibilities. For some of us who have chosen to be on the side of the truth, justice, equity and fairness, most media houses are running away from us. They have refused to decode what we say.
“I am over 40 years in politics and I have chosen to remain on the path of truth, integrity, fairness, equity and justice. I believe that these are the only things that can take us out of the mess that we are in, currently in Nigeria. Even our children who are yet to be enrolled in secondary school are aware that the country is going down,” he said.
Speaking on the efforts to tackle the security challenges in Benue State, he explained that the state Community Volunteer Guards have been empowered to carry legal weapons, in order to complement the efforts of conventional security operatives in the state.