TheCable

The Benue chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on Samuel Ortom, governor of the state, to apologise for criticising President Muhammadu Buhari.

The presidency and Ortom have been at loggerheads in the past few weeks.

The governor had in a recent interview accused President Muhammadu Buhari of trying to “Fulanise” the country, while reacting to the president’s approval of the recommendations of a committee to review 368 grazing reserves across 25 states in the country.

Responding to Ortom’s comment, the presidency accused the Benue governor of “using language reminiscent of the Rwandan genocide” to cause the deaths of Nigerians.

In reaction, Ortom said he spoke the minds of many Nigerians on the “specific areas of failure of the presidency and its complicity in the heinous crimes committed against citizens by armed Fulani herdsmen and other terrorists”.

The APC members and some leaders in the state addressed the matter at a news conference on Monday in Abuja.

Speaking on behalf of the group, George Akume, the minister of special duties and intergovernmental affairs, described Ortom’s comments about the president as “unwarranted and ill-motivated”.

“We call on Gov. Samuel Ortom to tender an unreserved apology to President Muhammadu Buhari, for using foul language on Mr President,” he said.

“This unwarranted and ill-motivated attack has been going on for over one year now, and it seems Buhari’s silence and incredible display of magnanimity to the Governor and the people of Benue has not been enough to pacify him.

“​We cannot, however, stand by and watch this brazen show of shame by the governor through infantile and irresponsible public statements on the President.

“And the possible destruction of the cordial relationship, the state as a federating unit has always enjoyed with the centre.”

Akume called on Buhari to declare a state of emergency in Benue state to curb the prevailing security challenge.