Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has charged those who believe that his administration made mistakes in enacting the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law to speak against it publicly in the state and see the reaction of the people.
Governor Ortom gave the challenge on Thursday after receiving the award as Best Governor in Nigeria in the area of security given to him by the ‘Daily Independent’ newspaper and other awards.
He said the law, which was enacted as a solution to the perennial clashes between herdsmen and farmers has the endorsement of traditional and religious leaders, Christians and Muslims and other stakeholders who have all remained resolute that the law should not be repealed.
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The Governor emphasised that his Government will continue to fully implement the law regardless of the intensity of intimidation, harassment, attacks, and hardship, stating those who were considering coming to have the law repealed were daydreaming.
Governor Ortom asked the populace to rise up and defend themselves and the land against the invaders, lamenting the daily invasion of Benue towns and the death of innocent people by the Fulani herdsmen, whose goal, according to him, was to seize control of the area.
In order to regularise their Permanent Voters Cards and elect officials who would stand up for their interests in the general election held the following year, he exhorted the populace to take advantage of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) continuing voter registration drive.
Governor Ortom dedicated the award to the people of Benue, particularly Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs who have been living in the camps since 2017 but have vowed to support his government not to surrender the state to the oppressors.
Other awards that were presented to the Governor during the Exco meeting in recognition of his contributions to the development of the country were from the International Council for Women Affairs, Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, Benue State branch and Gboko Polytechnic.
