Gov Ortom defends Bishop Kukah, warns Buhari against sycophants

The Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom has defended the Christmas Day message delivered by Bishop Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Matthew Hassan Kukah which has elicited caustic reactions especially from the North.

Governor Ortom in a statement issued on Wednesday through his Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase, said that the state of the nation message delivered by Bishop Kukah was a true reflection of the nation.

In the statement, Governor Ortom lamented that the reaction of the Federal Government to the message of the cleric whom the government accused of stirring hatred against the President, is unfair and repressive of the Federal Government’s.

He thus called on President Muhammadu Buhari to listen to words of wisdom delivered by Bishop Kukah and disregard sycophants who might tell him that all is well with the country.

READ ALSO: Ortom begs Buhari to sustain ban on rice importation

Governor Ortom enjoined the Federal Government not to muzzle what he called “patriotic Nigerians who are raising genuine concerns over the worsening security situation in the country because all is not well”.

He said; “In this challenging time in the country’s history, the people expected their leaders to be tolerant, patient, humane, sincere, and always seek to address the issues that affect shared interests of citizens.

“Many Nigerians have given their views on the situation in the country, and Bishop Kukah was not the first to say that hundreds of innocent Nigerians were being killed in cold blood by bandits, kidnappers, armed herdsmen and other terrorists.

“Even under the worst dictatorships, courageous citizens expressed their views on issues of national interest, and Nigeria which is a democratic nation cannot be an exception.

“Whipping into silence, men and women of honour who speak against injustice would not take the country to greater heights. Government needs critics who make constructive observations and recommendations for it to work in the interest of the people.

“Great nations of the world got to their enviable heights by harnessing and utilizing ideas of their citizens, not by discouraging those who made bold submissions on the development of their countries,” he concluded.

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