Former Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has alleged that the administration of the late President Muhammadu Buhari pursued a covert “evil agenda” under the guise of agricultural development programmes.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, Ortom claimed that initiatives such as the cattle colony proposal, the Ruga settlement scheme, and the livestock development programme were deceptive and designed to mislead Nigerians.
Asked if he had felt frustrated under Buhari’s leadership, Ortom responded emphatically: “Of course, I’ve said it. It wasn’t hidden and I have raised the alarm several times.”
He continued: “They brought different programmes to execute the evil agenda that the then-government had on Nigeria. Be it Ruga, be it cattle colony, be it livestock development programme — all those things were just a camouflage to deceive Nigerians and I raised an alarm. Each time they brought it, I stood against it and it’s unfortunate they never listened.”
Ortom, who governed Benue State during Buhari’s tenure, was one of the most vocal critics of the administration’s handling of farmer-herder crises and land policy reforms, especially in the North Central region.
His latest comments come in the wake of Buhari’s passing in London at the age of 82, reigniting debate over the legacy of the former president’s rural development and security strategies.
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