THE Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has described as ‘diversionary’ the comments of Benue state governor, Samuel Ortom, who in condemning the killing of 18 people in his council area last Friday said that he would never support a Fulani man to become president of Nigeria again.

Ortom had, while hosting his colleagues from Rivers, Oyo, Abia and Enugu States to a dinner party in Makurdi, said: “You want me to be a slave for a Fulani. It’s better I die. My people are being killed and you want me to be quiet. I will never support a Fulani man to become president. If there is another person who is ready to work with me and ensure the security of my people, I will work with him.”

But Northern Elders Forum, in a statement on Wednesday signed by its Director, Publicity and Advocacy, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, said the Governor’s comments was totally unbecoming of a leader, especially at a time when the scourge of insecurity in the country is politicised.

The Forum said, “We, like other Nigerians, watched the video in which Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom speaks in a manner and language totally unbecoming of a leader, at a time when standards of responsibility and decorum should be at their highest levels.

“He was apparently addressing citizens on recent killing of villagers which he attributes to Fulani herders.

“Even while making allowances for the established patterns of rhetorics and practice of Governor Ortom on inter-communal relations, this latest outburst should be condemned in a most emphatic manner.

“It does neither justice to the condemnable killings in Benue State, nor to the standing of the Governor before his people.

“The context of a politicized environment does not excuse this latest demeaning outing of Governor Ortom. On the contrary, it diverts attention from the latest tragedy that has befallen citizens and families in Benue State.

“Northern Elders Forum has consistently condemned the state of siege and insecurity under which Nigerians have lived in the last few years. In the North in particular, rogue Fulani elements have stood out as killers, bandits and kidnappers.

“The Forum will continue to demand that those who are asking for our votes in 2023 will show in clear and specific terms how they plan to re-secure all Nigerians. They must also demonstrate how they intend to address damaging profiling and deliberate exploitation of passions eminently demonstrated by Governor Ortom.

“The Forum demands that leaders and politicians de-politicize the scourge of insecurity under which we all live. It further demands that killers of villagers in Benue State, and other citizens in other villages in many parts of the North must be traced and prosecuted.

“Governor Ortom should live up to his oath and his commitment to his mandate to live as a responsible leader of his people.

“He should avoid the temptation to play to a gallery which, like all Nigerians, is desperate for relief and an end to the killings which pitch them against each other and leads them towards unending conflicts.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/11/northern-elders-tackle-ortom-over-comment-on-fulani/

Ortom statement is hash and divisive and is totally condenmable.

truth is bitter

Lmao G-5 is doing exactly what we wanted.


Atiku is coming

To hell with any wicked Elder
And
Stop trying To intimidate Ortom


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xf1KFsJu5Qw

Where were these northern elders when Atiku made his own divisive statement ?

Myetti Allah always stand to defend their atrocities, the southern leaders have been silenced. Why not use the same system used in fighting IPOB and extraditing Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to wage war against Fulani herdsmen. If Nigerians don't speak out, one day the country will be no more. Imagine, many communities have lost the ancestral names changed and the original owners sent packing and this people turned deaf ears. More people need to speak out.

It was an unnecessary and irresponsible statement from an incumbent governor.

Benue has no business belonging to the "north" where they are hated...they should join and become the 18th southern state .

To hell with northern elders too.

Ndi ala!

Fulani are the most loving tribe in Nigeria

Right from day one ortom and Wike has never hidden their dislike for the Hausa/Fulani race so,all this talk about Ayu must go is just an excuse to get back at Atiku....They want to hijack the party structure and use it against Atiku during the election.Imagine Ortom who is a governor and leader of a whole state being an agent of division

ALTERNATEID:
It was an unnecessary and irresponsible statement from an incumbent governor.

Very unfortunate

When fools are called elders

You only hear from Northern elders and traditional rulers when the there is a serious attempt to hold them accountable for the genocidal habits of their sons.

But you will never hear from them while their boys are moving from town to town , from village to village, killing and maiming. Evil people

ORTOM MADE THE RIGHT COMMENTS AT THE RIGHT VENUE AND AT THE RIGHT TIME. ORTOM DESERVE A CFR.
FULANI HERDSMEN ARE TERRORISTS AND BUHARI IS BEHIND THEM-BY CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR-CNN.
ORTOM IS CONCERNED WITH MACBAN AND NOT AREWA. WITH FULANI NOT HAUSA. HAKEEM IS FROM EGYPT NOT FUTA DJALON.

Isokiscool:
Right from day one ortom and Wike has never hidden their dislike for the Hausa/Fulani race so,all this talk about Ayu must go is just an excuse to get back at Atiku....They want to hijack the party structure and use it against Atiku during the election.Imagine Ortom who is a governor and leader of a whole state being an agent of division

Who and who devided the party in 2015....when it won't benefit you then it is evil mshw