Former Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has said he will not support any northern presidential candidate in the 2027 general election, citing the need for fairness and equity in Nigeria’s power rotation.
Speaking during a live programme on Agate Radio and Television in Makurdi, Ortom stressed that it was the South’s turn to retain the presidency until 2031, following President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight-year tenure.
“In 2027, I believe in a southern presidency. When the North has ruled for eight years, it’s only fair that power remains in the South. That’s the spirit of equity and brotherhood,” Ortom said.
He praised President Bola Tinubu for aligning with the people’s demand for ranching over open grazing, contrasting it with what he described as former President Buhari’s divisive policies, which he blamed for encouraging ethnic cleansing in Benue.
“The Buhari government was turning Nigeria into the Democratic Republic of Cows with its insistence on grazing routes from the 1950s. Tinubu has instead allowed ranching, the will of the people, to prevail,” Ortom stated.
The former governor expressed frustration that the 2017 Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law in Benue had been neglected by the current state administration, leading to renewed influx of herders and heightened tensions in rural communities.
No Political Ambition, But Loyalty to PDP
Ortom affirmed that he has no plans to contest for office in 2027, but pledged to support any credible candidate from his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“I’m not contesting any position. But I’ll back any credible PDP candidate. However, anyone leaving the party for another should be expelled. You can’t serve two masters,” he said, in reference to members from Benue who recently joined an opposition coalition.
He dismissed the idea of a political coalition but said he was open to partnerships “if the need arises.”
‘This Is Land Grabbing, Not Farmer-Herder Crisis’
On the persistent violence in farming communities across Benue, Ortom rejected the framing of the conflict as merely a farmer-herder crisis, insisting that it is deliberate land grabbing and the forceful occupation of ancestral homes.
He accused the Buhari administration of marginalising Benue, revealing that his government was denied access to N35 billion for infrastructure and N40 billion in interest-free loans from the Central Bank of Nigeria, allegedly due to his opposition to open grazing.
‘Let Farmers Bear Arms Too’
Calling for fairness, Ortom argued that if the federal government permits armed herders, farmers should also be allowed to bear arms in self-defense, especially amid recurring attacks.
“If herders are allowed to carry weapons and kill farmers in their sleep, then farmers must be allowed to defend themselves. This is injustice at its peak,” he said.
He concluded by calling for unity among Benue leaders, urging all stakeholders—regardless of political differences—to work together to tackle the worsening security challenges in the state.
