Ortom: ‘Why Buhari wants governor impeached’ – Middle Belt group
Buhari-led Federal Government of conspiracy to impeach Governor Samuel
Ortom of Benue State.
They said the move to impeach Ortom was to enable the Buhari-led
government implement the avowed agenda of Miyetti Allah Cattle
Breeders' Association, MACBAN, with a view to repealing the
anti-open-grazing law in operation in the state.
The Forum also indicted President Buhari's administration of
instigating lawlessness and anarchy with the planned impeachment of
the governor in order to declare a state of emergency in the state.
These claims were put forth by the President of MBF, Dr. Pogu Bitrus,
at a news conference in Abuja yesterday.
According to Bitrus, "Ortom's 'offence' apparently appears to be his
principled defence of the people of Benue State, which is his
constitutional duty as chief security officer, from the sustained
onslaught of herdsmen.
"The passage of the Anti-Open-Grazing law by the State House of
Assembly which His Excellency assented to and has begun its
implementation has been a bitter pill for the herdsmen to swallow and
they have via their organisations, Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore and
Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, MACBAN, threatened to make
the state ungovernable.
"It would appear that the federal government is implementing an avowed
agenda of Miyetti Allah by creating crisis to the disadvantage of
Benue people.
"The Police takeover of the State House of Assembly to facilitate the
conduct of proceedings by a minority eight members is calculated to
instigate lawlessness, precipitate crisis and killings and use that as
an excuse to declare a state of emergency in Benue State.
"We demand that President Buhari, should immediately rein in the
Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, and direct him to recall
all his men and women from illegal and unconstitutional conduct that
can lead to breakdown of law and order in Benue State.
"Benue people, in particular and the entire people of Middle Belt in
general, will perceive any breakdown of law and order by this
illegality as a declaration of war on the people of the Middle Belt by
the federal government.
"President Buhari should immediately remove the IGP. The role of the
Police under Idris in an attempt to unconstitutionally change
leadership of the National Assembly and their role in Benue saga are
all steps that can inevitably lead to collapse of our democracy.
"This IGP lacks the mien and comportment to command a civil Police
Force under a democratic dispensation.''
The MBF also charged Benue State indigenes, Middle Belt and Nigerians
in general "to be vigilant and to rise and defend our hard-earned
democracy."
No comments
Post a Comment