Benue people will vote Buhari if he protects their interests, says Ortom

Ahmed commends Nigerians as Kogi stakeholders lament absence of celebration
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, yesterday said his people would still vote for President Mohammadu Buhari next year if his policies tally with their safety concerns and interests.

Ortom, who made this statement during a media briefing to mark his third year in office, maintained that politics was all about interests and if the people find a common ground with the Buhari administration’s policies, they would vote massively for him.

His words: “I am sure the President will come here to campaign, and the people will decide whether to vote for him or not. You know politics is all about interest, in politics there are no permanent enemies but permanent interests. So, if President Buhari’s policies are in line with the Benue people, they will still vote him.”

The governor also said in spite of the security and economic challenges that have faced his administration, he has fulfilled several of his campaign promises, citing insecurity caused by herdsmen invasion that resulted in the killing of hundreds of people as the biggest challenge of the last three years.

“Between January and now, armed herdsmen have killed 495 people in Benue State. As a result of the killings, the state is facing serious humanitarian challenges, for which it is currently grabbling with over 180,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in eight camps across Guma, Logo and Makurdi local councils,” he said.

In a related development, Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, has canvassed the support of all Nigerians in nurturing the nation’s democracy to a vibrant, strong and prosperous one.

In his democracy day message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Abdulwahab Oba, yesterday in Ilorin, the governor said: “All advanced democracies of the world passed through turbulent times but survived through dialogue and citizens’ commitment to democratic norms.”