Gov Ortom used Fulani herdsmen to win election in Benue – Miyetti Allah Leader, Bello Bodejo 

The National President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Bello Abdullahi Bodejo, has alleged that Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, used the Fulani herdsmen and Benue farmers crisis to win the 2019 election.

Bello who stated this in a recent interview with The Sun, said when the Governor was not performing; he started to play up Fulani herdsmen and farmers issue to draw support from his people.

IDOMA VOICE recalls that in the build up to the 2019 election, Governor Ortom who was gunning for a second term in office, declared himself “The Defender of The Benue Valley” and launched full scare war against open-grazing in the state; which he used to regain popularity and was consequently reelected in 2019.

Bello had during the interview likened what the Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, did by declaring that herders should vacate the state’s forests, to what Governor Ortom did in Benue state.

He said; “We don’t need cities or towns. If you dash us FCT Abuja or the city of Lagos, we won’t have anything to do with it. We want a place where we continue to practice our age long culture of cattle rearing. We inherited it from our forefathers and it will continue till the end of the world. People are using propaganda to spoil Fulani name, and desperate politicians are in the forefront. Any governor that is drumming up on the Fulani herdsmen issue, watch well, he has issue or problem whether political or otherwise in his state. It is possible that Akeredolu is fighting a political battle, it may be 2023 election and that is why he is playing up this Fulani herdsmen issue. It is the same with Benue State governor, Ortom, when he was not performing; he started to play up Fulani herdsmen and farmers issue to draw support from his people. For almost six years, he hasn’t done any work in his state; he is talking about herdsmen and his people.

“Fulani can settle in any bush or forest they want the moment they have cows. We agreed that our children will pursue education and other activities other people are doing in town, but even me, I’m not comfortable staying in the city, up till now my house is inside village.”