Ortom tackles presidency: I’d make same comments as Kukah if I could address US congress

Samuel Ortom, Benue state governor, has criticised the presidency over its criticism of Matthew Kukah, Catholic bishop of Sokoto diocese.

In his address to a United States congress committee, Kukah had accused President Muhammadu Buhari of showing preference to people of his religion, which according to him, has worsened the level of rivalry between Christians and Muslims.

Kukah subsequently came under fire from the presidency who accused him of trying to sow discord and strife among Nigerians.

Garba Shehu, presidential spokesman, described Kukah’s claim that only Christian schools are being targeted by bandits or terrorists as untrue.

Reacting in a statement signed by Terver Akase, his spokesman, on Saturday, the Benue governor said the presidency should stop intimidating Nigerians who want the best for the country.

Ortom said he would make the same comments as Kukah if he had a chance to address the US congress committee.

The statement reads: “Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom describes as unfortunate, the response of the Presidency to the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matttew Kukah’s address to United States Congress Committee on Foreign Affairs regarding the wave of insecurity in the country.

“The Governor says he stands with Bishop Kukah on the issues he raised and stresses that he would have said similar things if he were to address the same audience.

“He advises the Federal Government to stop intimidating patriotic Nigerians who are raising genuine concerns over the worsening security and economic situation in the country.

“Governor Ortom states that the country is practicing democracy which has no room for repression and dictatorship. He notes that the country’s Constitution guarantees the freedom of speech to all citizens, unlike a military regime which suppresses the right of the people to voice their opinions on challenges facing their country.

“He says Bishop Kukah is one Nigerian who is selfless and speaks his mind frankly on national issues calling on the government to ensure justice, the rule of law and equity for all.

“The Governor wonders why the Presidency has chosen to politicize the views of Bishop Kukah when all the issues he highlighted in his address are facts about the country.

“He says Kukah was right when he stated that nepotism has been elevated above federal character by the present administration. He further agrees with the Bishop that Christians across the country are targets of elimination and thousands have already fallen to the sword of jihadist supremacists.

“Governor Ortom states that Kukah is not to blame for the ranking of Nigeria as the 8th least peaceful country in Africa and the rating of killer herdsmen as the 4th deadliest terror group in the world by the Global Terrorism Index.

“He expects the Presidency to rather be worried that Nigeria is ranked as the most terrorised nation in Africa with an average of over 2,000 deaths per year on account of terrorism.

“He emphasizes that the combative approach the Presidency has adopted in engaging citizens on issues will not solve the problems confronting the country.

“Governor Ortom says Bishop Kukah is not the first Nigerian to address a foreign audience on the security situation in the country. He recalls that in February, 2015 President Buhari was at the time the candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, when he delivered a speech at Chatham House in London, where he stated that “Boko Haram has sadly put Nigeria on the terrorism map, killing more than 13,000 of our nationals.” The President went on to announce to the world on that occasion that apart from the civil war era, Nigeria had never been more insecure in the country’s history.

“The Governor states that if a man who was seeking to govern the country could reel out such scary statistics, why will his aides now launch media attacks on a clergyman who is only advocating peace and is drawing the attention of the global community to the plight of helpless Nigerians.”

Ortom advised the presidency “to listen to the voices of reason and resist the temptation” to silence those who offer solutions to Nigeria’s challenges.