ATIKU’S COMMENTS AGAINST ORTOM HAVE EXPOSED HIM AS AN ETHNIC CHAMPION

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    By Samson Ochono

    We read a shocking statement credited to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar who was quoted to have given reasons why he is very upset with Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom. The report published by Day Break newspaper said “Atiku made the revelation on weekend while fielding questions during a presidential interactive session organized by Arewa Joint Committee held at Arewa house in Kaduna. The PDP flagbearer said he was very angry with Governor Ortom for profiling Fulani as bandits and terrorists because he’s (Atiku) also a Fulani person.”

    We wonder why a man who is seeking the highest office in the land to lead Nigerians of diverse cultures, ethnicity and religion would be so parochial in his reasoning and see himself only as a Fulani man. Atiku calls himself as the “unifier” but his outings and utterances depict the picture of an extremist and an ethnic champion who will be worse and deadlier than Muhammadu Buhari in protecting killer Fulani herdsmen, if given power in 2023.

    How is Governor Ortom profiling Fulanis? Have we not seen Fulani terrorists arrested in different parts of the country with AK47 rifles and other sophisticated weapons? Have we not heard Fulani groups such as Miyetti Allah and Fulani Nationality Movement, FUNAM publicly issue threats of attacks on innocent Nigerians? Is Governor Ortom a member of FUNAM or Miyetti Allah?

    Atiku ought to bury his head in shame for proving to Nigerians that he is not the president they are looking for. He has failed the integrity test and fallen short of our expectations. We can’t trust him with our mandate. He will not only construct a rail line to Niger, Cameroun and Chad but also practically transport all Fulanis from across the African continent to Nigeria and force the original occupants out of their ancestral lands.

    Imagine what Atiku said at that same interactive session that northerners don’t need to vote for a Yoruba or Igbo person as President. Such a man does not deserve the votes of Nigerians. Atiku is worse than Buhari. He has not hidden his fangs of division and will be a disaster to this country.

    We ask Atiku to tender an unreserved apology to Governor Ortom. His statement against Ortom is capable of setting the Governor against Fulanis and endangering him. We know Governor Ortom as one of the very few Nigerians who stand for justice and equity. Whenever he speaks, he speaks our minds. He is the conscience of this nation.

    Ortom has nothing personal against Fulanis. We understand that he even has some Fulanis as his appointees and has maintained a cordial relationship with Fulani people who are good and harmless. The Governor has only not allowed his friendship with some good Fulanis to eclipse his stand against the mayhem that is being perpetrated by the bad ones.

    Governor Ortom’s call for the end of attacks against his people by terrorist Fulani organizations is not in any way a profiling of that ethnic group. It is rather a wake up call to end a jihadist agenda began by Usman Dan Fodio in 1804 which the likes of Buhari and Atiku want to accomplish.

    Atiku must be told that this is Nigeria where the rights of the people matter. He has no moral ground to nurse a personal grudge against Governor Ortom. The Benue State Governor worked assiduously to market Atiku in 2019 and ensured that he defeated Buhari in the state during that year’s presidential election. Benue was one of the few states that Atiku recorded victory in the north in that election. His hatred of the Governor is therefore unfortunate and only exposes him as an ingrate and ethic jingoist who does not deserve the mandate of Nigerians!

    Ochono, is the
    National Secretary
    Forum of Concerned Nigerians (FCN) writes from Makurdi.