Benue people are not happy with you, Ortom tells visiting Atiku

Benue State governor Samuel Ortom has told former Vice President Atiku Abubakar that Benue people are not happy with him for abandoning them during their trying times.

The Governor spoke on Sunday at the Government House when he received the former Vice President and his campaign team during a visit.

He told Atiku emphatically that as a 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, Benue people expected more from him when they were under herdsmen attacks.

He said they were not happy the presidential aspirant did not visit the state or send relief materials when herdsmen attacked them.

“Your visit to Benue as the ‘Zege Mule U Tiv’ is long overdue. But it’s 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 didn’t visit when terror groups were attacking and killing the people in Benue,” Ortom said.

The governor however said he was not referring to indigenous Fulani who he said had lived with the Benue people.

READ: Ortom indicts Miyetti Allah over assassination attack

He lamented that terror groups from foreign countries, including Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore and Fulani Nationality Movement (FUNAM) were still terrorising the state without the Federal Government coming hard on them.

Atiku said he was unable to visit the state in its trying times because he was out of the country for further studies.

He donated N50 million for upkeep of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPS) in the state.

He said he had issues with the way the entire Fulani race was profiled in the course of the crisis as violent people but admitted that he had reconciled with Governor Ortom for the clarifications he had given. While answering questions from reporters, Atiku dismissed insinuations that he was silent during the crisis, arguing he issued statements while overseas condemning the invasion.