State of emergency: PDP slams Shija over attack on Benue Gov, Ortom

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Benue State chapter has come hard on Professor Terhemba Shija, for attack Governor Samuel Ortom over his call for state of emergency on security in the country.

Ortom had urged the federal government to address the worsening security situation in the country by declaring a state of emergency.

However, Shija in a piece entitled “‘That Call For a State of Emergency on Security” said Ortom was only looking for attention.

Reacting, Bemgba Iortyom, State Publicity Secretary of the party in a statement said Shija was only displaying his ignorance in the write up.

He said, “Professor Terhemba Shija, sought to mock the call for declaration of a State of Emergency on security in Nigeria by Governor Samuel Ortom in a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari recently, in which the Governor also pointed to grave threats to national security as a result of atrocities of Fulani herdsmen against communities across the country.

“However, while the university lecturer surprisingly sought to ridicule this patriotic call, insinuating in the process that Governor Ortom lacks the nous to address issues of security, the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria today at plenary re-echoed same call that Mr. President should declare a State of Emergency on security in the country.

“This has not only ridiculed Professor Shija’s latest stand against the Benue State Governor as reflecting a lack of touch with reality, but it also exposes his eagerness to jump to the pillory against the Governor even where the later may be “home and dry” on an issue.

“Since leaving the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC) late last year to seek elective office, Shija has adopted criticising Governor Ortom as his main campaign strategy, albeit that he has stumbled in virtually all of his attempts so far, even as is the case this time with the Senate already joining the same call earlier made by the Governor.

“Furthermore, by submitting that a Governor as Chief Security Officer of his state lacks the capacity to address issues of security, Shija is inadvertently admitting that himself as governor will lack same capacity, which by direct extension is admission that he is not qualified to hold the office of governor, and this we urge the Benue electorate to take judicious note of.

“However, Benue electorate are no strangers to the predictable pattern of the university lecturer’s perennial electoral jousts and their usual outcome, as such no one will be surprised if once more he ends up as Director-General of the campaign organisation of an aspirant, as has been the case since 1999.

“For Ortom, as Governor over 6 years and making invaluable contributions to national security through participation in the National Council of State, National Economic Council as well as the Police Council, if those do not qualify him to address issues of security in Nigeria, as proposed by Professor Shija, then nothing would.

“Moreover, Shija’s claims that the economy of Benue State has collapsed and schools have been shut, in his bid to further ridicule the Governor is proof of his disconnect from the realities of leadership and it’s demands, since even simpletons know that the prevailing COVID-19 induced economic recession is a global malaise and not exclusive to Ortom’s Benue.”