We won’t re-open cattle routes – Ortom

Makurdi—Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, yesterday, said his government would not re-open cattle routes in the state since no known ones previously existed, saying even if there were such routes which were gazetted, he would have de-gazetted them as the current reality of the state had made such routes untenable.

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Governor Ortom, who was reacting to a recent comment by President Muhammadu Buhari on national television urging the state government to re-open cattle routes, spoke while interacting with officials of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, in Buruku Local Government Area during his campaign tour.

Ortom said: “At the time such routes were contemplated in the 60s, the entire population of the country was about 40 million while the current population is about 200 million, thereby foreclosing the possibility of such routes.”

Speaking further, the governor stated that he battled hard to overcome financial, as well as security challenges during his first term, which impacted negatively on his performance adding that if given a second mandate the end of his administration would be better than his rough beginning.

He said the All Progressives Congress, APC-controlled Federal Government failed to forestall attacks on the state, by armed herdsmen, who openly declared their conquest and occupation agenda on the state, and thereafter failed to give the people justice when they demanded it.

According to him, “this development coupled with the deliberate neglect of Benue people by the government when strategic positions are being shared to parts of the country, prompted my decision to seek an alternative platform to pursue my re-election.”