Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has explained that he reconciled with his Bauchi State counterpart, Bala Mohammed, in the interest of their party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the country.
Governor Ortom stated this on Wednesday while speaking to journalists at the airport on his return from Rivers State where Governor Nyesom Wike had mediated in the altercation between the two governors.
Governor Ortom said instead of latching out at each other as leaders, they agreed to sheath their sword since there were better ways to resolve their dispute.
The Governor said the deteriorting security situation in the country should be their primary and paramount concern and not ethnic tussle.
“We decided to sheath our swords and find better ways to communicate with each other and I think that was our take home.
“And so, we are to focus on the deteriorating security in the country. We need to partner with the Federal Government as governors we need to work as a team to ensure that we restore security for our people.
“As at today, you can see that the entire security architecture has completely collapsed and there is need to leave party and ethnicity aside and work to ensure that all hands are on deck to provide security for our people because without security, there cannot be any meaningful development.
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“So whatever it will take to make sacrifices to bring down our egos and allow peace to reign. And we call on all Nigerians, the Presidency, all governors and chairmen to work together to achieve this.
“2023 is coming and those contesting and politicians will always project 5, 10 years programme but if we do not work to restore security in our country, there may be no Nigeria tomorrow and the question of contesting election may not even arise.
“We should know that we have a constitution and once we respect the provisions of our constitution, there will be equity, justice and fairness for everybody and things will work out well,” Ortom said.
The Next Edition reported that the Bauchi state Governor, Mohammed and Governor Ortom had engaged in a battle of words in the last few weeks over statement attributed to the Bauchi state Governor.
Governor Ortom also had accused his Bauchi state counterpart of supporting herdsmen for carrying AK47 after Mohammed said they needed it for self defense.
Ortom had, however, described that as unconstitutional as the Nigerian constitution does not require Nigerians to go about with guns.
Ortom had also said the Bauchi Governor was part of the terrorist group sponsoring herdsmen’s and their killings across the country.
The two governors have reconciled in the interest of the party and that of the nation.
