The Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, on Sunday berated former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for not visiting the state when its people were attacked by herdsmen.
Ortom stated this when Atiku visited the state following the cold reception his campaign team led by Raymond Dokpesi received last year when it visited the state.
Ortom, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Nathiel Ikyur, told the former Vice President that people of the state were not happy with him for abandoning them during their trying times.
But the former vice-president while addressing the Peoples Democratic Party members later advised against ethnic profiling of people involved in violence.
The governor insisted Atiku as holder of one of the highest chieftaincy titles in the Tiv Area Traditional Council, the ‘Zege Mule U Tiv,’ meaning the big shelter of the Tiv nation, the people were not happy that he (the former VP) did not visit the state or send relief materials when it was attacked by herdsmen.
The governor stated, “Your visit to Benue as the ‘Zege Mule U Tiv’ is long overdue. But it is better late than never. You are in your home and we are happy to receive you.
“But let me say here that our people were not happy that you did not visit when terrorists Fulani groups were attacking and killing the people in Benue.”
The governor however cleared the misconceptions that he referred to indigenous Fulani whom he said had lived in the state for long.
Atiku, who later addressed the PDP’s stakeholders after a closed-door meeting with Ortom, confirmed the disagreement between him and the governor.
He said, “When we (Atiku and Ortom) met privately, there was disagreement on why do you (the governor) profile violence through ethnic profiling but he (Ortom) told me he was not referring to indigenous Fulani but foreign Fulani who come and cause disorder and conflict among ethnic groups.”
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