Facing your process of dethronement, Ortom knocks Sanusi

Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has asked deposed Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi, to face the lawsuit surrounding his dethronement.

In a statement provided to journalists late Tuesday night, Ortom spokesman Nathaniel Ikyur said his director made the statement at Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi during the opening of the Benue Sexual Assault Referral Center known as DOHAPITU Clinic.

“The deposed Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, in a recent video that went viral, had made a futile attempt to drag the name of Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom to the unfortunate incident in Nasarawa State, where some persons allegedly Fulani herdsmen were killed in an airstrike, the source of which is still under investigation by the relevant authorities

“In the video which in all respects, like others from similar sources, aimed at profiling Governor Ortom before the Fulani race, the deposed Emir called on the governor of Benue to learn from his brother governors how to manage the diversity in his state, citing the Governor of Plateau State as his model,” the statement read in part.

However, the governor asked the former emir to refrain from interfering in the affairs of Benue state.

“The governor said that while he does not intend to raise any issues with the deposed emir because of the sanctity with which he holds human lives, he claimed that the anti-open grazing law the deposed emir referred to in the video is a law that was validly passed by the Benue State House of Assembly, which imposed sanctions against violations.

“He said that the Benue state government, or even the governor, is unable to deploy a drone or military assets in any part of the country.

“In due course, I will formally respond to that poor presentation to Mr. President against me. I will talk about my story and expose the evil orchestrated by those who are seen as educated and prominent and supposed to be leaders.

Ortom said he thought it strange that Sanusi would advise him to rule Benue like his Plateau State counterpart, saying that he was “elected by the people of Benue State and I am loyal to the people of Benue State , not to any man in Kano.”

He pointed out that the law banning open grazing in Benue, which Sanusi opposed, “does not violate the Constitution of Nigeria, so no one can prevent us from enforcing the rights and practice of the law.”