The outgoing governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, has berated the Presidency, stating that in the history of Nigeria, it has never had such bad governance.
The governor stated this on Friday, May 26th, at the commissioning of the headquarters of the Benue State Community Volunteer Guards, BSCVGs, in Makurdi.
He opined that the Buhari-led administration is a retrogressive administration that has taken Nigeria “from top to bottom, making life miserable for all Nigerians”.
Ortom stated that Nigeria, which had been thriving under then-President Goodluck Jonathan, was thrown into unimaginable poverty, insecurity, instability, and overall maladministration.
“I served under the then-President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, and we all saw how Nigeria flourished under that administration. We all knew what the prices of food and services were at the time.
“We also know what our exchange rate was at the time and what it is today. I want Nigerians to do a simple comparison, and you will realize how bad it has been under this government and how Nigeria has been taken several years backward by the Buhari government.
“The fact is that never in the history of Nigeria have we experienced this kind of bad governance in the country.
“Corruption is so endemic in this government, yet people who steal chicken are thrown into prison, but people in government who are busy stealing the wealth of the people are walking free.
“The President recently apologized to Nigerians; we accept the apology, but he must be told that he failed woefully, and Nigerians are feeling the impact of that failure because we are all suffering,” he said.
Ortom further criticized Buhari for treating Fulani herdsmen with laxity, whom he alleged are responsible for the killings and insecurity in the country.
He said, “The President told us he is retiring to tend to his cattle; is it because he is returning to be a herder that he failed to deal decisively with herdsmen? That was unfair to Nigerians.”
The governor also said that come what may, he’ll continue to speak of the ills inflicted by the Buhari-led administration. “Like a former lawmaker would say, “If you talk, you die; if you don’t talk, you die. So for me, it is better to talk and die because I will also speak the truth no matter whose ox is gored,” he said.
Governor Ortom who also dedicated the Benue Television Complex and the renovated Benue Government Complex, thanked the people of Benue and assured them that he would always stand with them.
