Former Benue State Governor and PDP leader, Samuel Ortom, has said he never hated former President Muhammadu Buhari. He explained that he only raised his voice because of the serious security problems in Benue State during Buhari’s time in office.

Ortom made this statement during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today. He said he had no choice but to speak out to protect the people of Benue who were being killed.

He said he didn’t hate Buhari, his government, or the Fulani people. What he wanted was to defend the lives and welfare of the people who elected him as governor.

Ortom admitted that he had accused Buhari of not doing enough as a leader to protect Nigerians. He said he does not regret saying that because many people were dying, and he couldn’t remain silent.

He also said the reason Benue State is still facing killings today is because of Buhari’s failure to act when he had the chance.

While Ortom was governor, he organized several mass burials for victims of attacks and kept calling on the Buhari government to stop the Fulani herders who were allegedly responsible. But the federal government didn’t do much, and Buhari never came to visit the state during those difficult times.