Technocrat Media Nigeria
ABUJA – The Presidency has advised Governor Samuel Ortom to cooperate with President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration by adopting RUGA and other policies for peace in Benue,
According to PEOPLES GAZETTE, Buhari’s media aide, Mr. Garba Shehu, claimed the recent spate of insecurity ravaging Beune state resulted from Mr. Ortom’s rejection of Ruga settlements.
His comment came on the heels of the killing of Benue residents on Tuesday by killer herders. While reacting to the Tuesday violence, Mr. Ortom had said the president’s “action and inaction” was responsible, accusing him of Fulanisation of Nigeria.
However, Mr. Shehu, in a statement on Thursday, opined that the refusal of governor Ortom to adopt the controversial RUGA policy showed he did not value people’s interest.
The governor had banned open grazing in the state with the enactment of the ‘anti-open grazing law of Benue state’ and rejected the RUGA policy which he described as deceptive and against the interest of Benue indigenes, who are predominantly farmers.
Mr. Shehu said “Benue under the Ortom administration ought to cooperate with the federal government in the implementation of a number of national strategies programmes in addressing underlying issues militating against peace, progress, and development.
“This can still get done when the interest of the people is placed above all other interests. A government voted into office by the people should treat the people as its masters and not as its servants,” said the statement.
The presidency also accused the governor of stirring religious and ethnic violence, with his divide-and-rule tactic.
“As Nigerians, we accuse colonial rulers of the policy of divide and rule.
“Today, it is our own leaders who pit region against region, religion against religion, ethnic group against ethnic group, and community against community,” the statement added.
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