The Presidency has accused the governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, of inciting ethnic hatred in his state.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media & Publicity), Garba Shehu, accused Ortom of “playing on ethnic themes – and in doing so knowingly causing deaths of innocent Nigerians by inciting farmers against herders, and Christians against Muslims.”
But he said this is hardly surprising, as, according to him, “Ortom has few political principles,” which he said is evidenced in the fact that “he has changed political party five times during his undistinguished career.”
According to Shehu, “every time he feels the wind may be blowing in a certain direction, he follows it” but that unfortunately this time, the most dangerous direction he blows in today is that of sectarianism and ethnicity.
Shehu compared Governor Ortom to those who incited the ethnic hatred that led to the Rwandan genocide.
He said: “As was the case in Rwanda where the then Hutu leaders of the country incited their countrymen against each other, claiming there was a ‘secret Tutsi agenda’ over the Hutu, Ortom claims there is a ‘secret Fulanization agenda’ over other ethnic groups in his state and in Nigeria.
“This is a copy of the language of Hutu Power – which falsely, and intentionally, accused the Rwandan Tutsi of plans to dominate the country.
“This wicked talk is aimed at giving cover to his so-called ‘policy’ on the Ranches Establishment Law – which in reality is purely an act of denial of the law – intended to withhold rights and freedoms from one ethnic group alone, whilst inciting race hatred against them amongst all others.”
Shehu said these are not the actions of a man who should be trusted with running public services or holding public office.
“For the governor of a major state in Nigeria to be politically driven by ethnic hatred is a stain on our country,” he said.