2023: Atiku apologised on WhatsApp, refused to do so in public —Ortom ramps up offensive against ex-VP

Samuel Ortom, the governor of Benue State, on Wednesday, demanded a public apology from PDP presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar for his outburst directed at him and the state’s residents.

The governor also cautioned Atiku not to believe that his Fulani ethnicity would be enough to make him president.

Ortom stated this while addressing youths from the Jemgbagh axis, which includes the Gboko, Buruku, and Tarka local government districts, who had joined him in his agitations.

During a recent interactive forum hosted by the Arewa Consultative Forum in Kaduna, the former vice president accused the governor of racial profiling of Fulanis.

Atiku had also in his condolence message said, “When our people are well integrated into communities where they live, work, pay taxes and raise their children, they’d be obligated to reciprocate the love and acceptance”.

But Ortom asserted that Atiku’s tribesmen had stolen animals from his farm, denying that he had singled out Fulani herdsmen.

READ ALSO:2023: Ortom hints at withdrawing support for Atiku, slams ex-VP over incendiary statement

“I vehemently condemn the statement against me by Atiku. When it got to me, I chatted him through a WhatsApp message, he apologized but declined to make a public apology.

“You cannot undress an elder like me in public and come back to dress me in the room. Let it be on record that at no point did I tell him that Benue people were stealing my cows. He lied against me and I take exception to this and demand an apology. It is unbecoming of a presidential candidate to tell lies

“I never profiled Fulanis and did not say all of them are bad. They are my friends, they can even go into my bedroom. I have never sent any Fulani man away.

“But am against the Fulani terrorist coming from Niger, Chad, Senegal, Mali. He must do a retraction. If he does not, on the day of the election we will vote according to the election.

“We cannot vote for a president who will continue the carnage against our people. He wants to use me as a scapegoat. Atiku is unfair to the people. You think Fulani will make you President, you lie. You have committed sacrilege against the Benue people.

“I want to assure all ethnic groups and even foreigners of their safety in the land. I want to assure Benue people that under my watch such people will be apprehended.

“Our baby is PDP you do not throw away the baby and the bath water. Benue State is PDP and PDP is Benue and I remain obedient servant”, Ortom explained.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now