Groups slam Atiku over utterances on Gov Ortom

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By Sunday Ogli, Makurdi

TIV Youth Organisation, TYO and Forum of Concerned Nigerians, FCN, have criticised the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar over his utterances on the governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom.

Atiku who is of Fulani extraction was reported to had stated at an interactive session organised by Arewa Joint Committee at Arewa House in Kaduna, Kaduna State at the weekend that he is upset with Governor Ortom for profiling Fulanis as terrorists and bandits.

However, the groups wondered 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.

FCN, particularly in a statement signed by its national secretary, Samson Ochono, wondered why Atiku who calls himself a unifier would publickly make utterances that 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.”

On its part, TYO, in a statement signed by its president general, Timothy Hembaor, said the PDP presidential candidate no longer qualifies to be regarded as Zege Mule u Tiv (Umbrella of Tiv nation).

“The reason for our stand is unambiguous. By his actions and utterances which tend to hurt our people and amount to spitting on the graves of victims of Fulani herders attacks in our state, Atiku has desecrated the chieftaincy title and therefore does not merit being addressed as such any further,” Hembaor said.