Former Minister of State for Industries, Dr. Samuel Ortom, has called on Benue State residents to disregard insinuation being peddled in some quarters that the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, General Muhammedu Buhari, has bad intentions for the nation.
Ortom, the APC gubernatorial flag bearer in Benue State, stated this on Saturday at a rally at UPC Primary School, Naka, the headquarters of Gwer-West Local Government Area.
He described as “fallacy” some comments aimed at discrediting Buhari, that if elected he would turn Benue State into a Fulani heritage and to the large extent perpetuate violence in the state.
He rather believes that the Peoples Democratic Party has been responsible for the unending violent crimes and under-development in Benue State.
Ortom said: “When you say if a Fulani man becomes president Benue will suffer in the hands of Fulani, I will say not so because Shehu Shagari was the president, we witnessed nothing.
“Buhari came and went, we didn’t have any clash with Fulani.
“Even during the days of Umaru Yar’Adua, Benue had never had it so rough like this tenure of (President Goodluck) Jonathan.
Ortom said the PDP governorship flag bearer in Benue State, Terhemen Tarzoor, was also removed as speaker and member of the Benue State House of Assembly.
He called on his supporters not to back people of questionable character and not to indulge in violent campaigns.