Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has alleged that he is being persecuted by the Federal Government and his former political party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) because he refused to surrender Benue land to herdsmen.
The governor, who said this at St. Michael’s Catholic Rectory Ameladu yesterday, during a thanksgiving service in his honour, insisted that the agenda of the invaders was not for grazing, but to take over the land from the real owners. Ortom said he will never be party to such evil agenda and reassured the people of the state of his administration’s commitment to protecting their interests, no matter the level of intimidation and threats.
He said his defection from the ruling APC was in rejection of a political party which treats the killing of his people with kid gloves.
Ortom acknowledged the spiritual and humanitarian works of the priest in charge of the Rectory, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Asue and noted that the clergy’s interventions in health, education and empowerment had greatly complemented the efforts of government.
In a sermon, Rev. Fr. Asue charged Christians not to allow material things to hinder them from inheriting the kingdom of God, adding that they should rather use their material possessions as a stepping stone to make Heaven.
