The presidency has reacted to Governor Samuel Ortom’s latest comment about the insecurity in Nigeria.
The Benue helmsman said a top security official informed him that President Muhammadu Buhari warned security forces not to move against violent Fulani herdsmen.
A statement on Wednesday by presidential spokesman Garba Shehu called the ridiculous claims “patently untrue”.
“If he is as brave as he claims to be, let him name names. Let him name the military personnel who told him this story’, he noted.
Shehu said despite describing himself as a child of God who believes in being lawful and respects the constitution, Ortom spread “a divisive lie”.
The presidency advised political leaders to work to bring citizens together, not risking further violence by promoting ethnic or religious division.
“The cheap, dog whistle politics behind Ortom’s falsehood are plain for all to see.”
Shehu added that Ortom is not the first politician who has attempted to sow discord amongst the people in the run-up to an election.
The aide told the governor that Nigerians do not believe his claim that top security personnel shared high-level confidential information with him.
