The Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom has defended the Christmas Day message delivered by Bishop Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Matthew Hassan Kukah which has elicited caustic reactions, particularly from the North.
Governor Ortom in an announcement issued on Wednesday by means of his Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase, mentioned that the state of the nation message delivered by Bishop Kukah was a real reflection of the nation.
Within the assertion, Governor Ortom lamented that the response of the Federal Authorities to the message of the cleric whom the federal government accused of stirring hatred towards the President is unfair and repressive of the Federal Authorities’s.
He thus referred to as on President Muhammadu Buhari to take heed to phrases of knowledge delivered by Bishop Kukah and disrespect sycophants who would possibly inform him that each one is nice with the nation.
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Governor Ortom enjoined the Federal Authorities to not muzzle what he knew as “patriotic Nigerians who’re elevating real considerations over the worsening safety scenario within the nation as a result of all just isn’t properly”.
He stated; “On this difficult time within the nation’s historical past, the individuals anticipated their leaders to be tolerant, affected person, humane, honest, and at all times search to deal with the problems that have an effect on shared pursuits of residents.
“Many Nigerians have given their views on the scenario within the nation, and Bishop Kukah was not the primary to say that a whole bunch of harmless Nigerians had been being killed in chilly blood by bandits, kidnappers, armed herdsmen and different terrorists.
“Even beneath the worst dictatorships, brave residents expressed their views on problems with nationwide curiosity, and Nigeria which is a democratic nation can’t be an exception.
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“Whipping into silence, women and men of honour who converse in opposition to injustice wouldn’t take the nation to larger heights. Authorities want critics who make constructive observations and suggestions for it to work within the curiosity of the folks.
“Nice nations of the world acquired to their enviable heights by harnessing and using concepts of their residents, not by discouraging those that made daring submissions on the event of their nations,” he concluded.
