The Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom has warned the deposed Emir of Kano, Alhaji Lamido Sanusi not to meddle in the affairs of his state, Benue.
The governor asked the deposed to face the court litigation surrounding his dethronement rather than meddling into the affairs of the state.
According to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Nathaniel Ikyur, quoted Ortom as saying this on Tuesday during the inauguration of Benue Sexual Assault Referral Centre, known as DOHAPITU Clinic, at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital in Makurdi, the state capital.
The governor was reacting to a recent video linking him to the incident in Nasarawa.
The Benue governor reiterated that the source of incident is still a subject of investigation by relevant authorities.
“The deposed Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, had in a recent video which went viral, made a futile attempt at dragging the name of the governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom to the unfortunate incident in Nasarawa State where some persons alleged to be Fulani herdsmen were killed in an air strike attack, the source of which is still a subject of investigation by relevant authorities.
“In the video which to all intent and purpose, like others from similar sources, was aimed at profiling Governor Ortom before the Fulani race, the deposed Emir called on the Benue governor to learn from his brother governors on how to manage the diversity in his state, citing the governor of Plateau State as his model,” the statement read in part.
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Governor Ortom was quoted in the statement that he does not intend to join issues with the 14th Emir of Kano because of the sacredness with which he holds human lives.
The governor however insisted that the anti-open grazing law which Sanusi reportedly made reference to in the video is a law that was validly passed by the Benue State House of Assembly which prescribed penalties against its violations.
He added that neither himself nor the Benue State Government has the capacity to deploy a drone or any military assets in any part of the country.
“At the appropriate time, I will formally respond to that evil presentation to Mr. President against me,” Ortom said.
“I will talk about my story and expose the evil that is going on orchestrated by those that are perceived to be educated and prominent and supposed to be leaders.”
“At the appropriate time, I will formally respond to that evil presentation to Mr. President against me. I will talk about my story and expose the evil that is going on orchestrated by those that are perceived to be educated and prominent and supposed to be leaders.”
Ortom further said that he found it strange that Sanusi would advise him to govern Benue like his Plateau State counterpart, saying he was “elected by the people of Benue State and my allegiance is to Benue State people, not to any man in Kano.”
The governor pointed out that the law prohibiting open grazing in Benue which Sanusi was against “is not in conflict with the constitution of Nigeria so nobody can stop us from enforcing the rights and practice of the law.”