By Peter Duru, Makurdi

The Coalition of Southern and Middle Belt Youth Leaders Assembly, COSMBYLA, an umbrella body of all youth groups in the South East, South South, South West and Middle Belt regions has berated the Buhari Media Organization, BMO, for concocting lies against Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state.

The COSMBYLA in a statement issued weekend in Makurdi expressed shock at the false and misleading statement by BMO which claimed that workers and pensioners were not being paid in Benue state.

The statement by COSMBYLA was jointly signed by the President General, Coalition of South-East Youth Leaders, COSEYL, Goodluck Ibem; President, Benue Youth Forum/Coodinator Forum of Middle Belt Youth Presidents, Terrence Kuanum, Coordinator, South West Forum of South West Youth Leaders Forum, Shittu Waheed and the President, South South Youth Forum, Tito Zuokumor.

Part of the statement read “we are shocked by the recent false and misleading statement by the BMO, where they wrongly accused the dynamic and transformational Governor of Benue State, Dr. Samuel Ortom of lying over payment of salaries and pensions in his state.

“It was obviously a subtle attempt by the BMO to cover the truth about the colossal failure of Buhari’s government that Governor Ortom recently spoke about and which is glaring for all to see, even the blind.

“For the purpose of clarity and emphasis, we want to point out that the backlog of pensions and salaries that were owed workers and pensioners in Benue state which Governor Ortom through handwork and prudence has endeavored to clear was owed by a former governor who is at the echelon of the Buhari’s administration.

“The body language of President Buhari’s administration clearly shows that the presidency enjoys to see Nigerian citizens in pain and anguish hence the subtle attack on Governor Ortom whose only crime is calling on President Buhari to protect Nigerians and stop the killings by the Fulani herdsmen who are his kinsmen.

“The world over, the primary responsibility of any government to its citizens is security of lives and property; and any President that cannot provide this primary responsibility has no business being in power.

“Hence, if Governor Ortom and President Buhari are placed side by side for Nigerians to point at who is lying to them, all fingers will be pointing at the President for lying to them including those in his cabinet.

“President Buhari had promised to completely eliminate corruption during his campaign in 2015; corruption has now increased by 90 percent.

“He said he would neutralize Boko Haram if elected, which was only in Borno state at the time, now Boko Haram terrorists have given birth to other terrorist groups like ISWAP and others which have taken over the entire north including his home state Katsina.

“Again, in 2015, President Buhari said he would improve the economy better than he met it by making the Naira stronger in the international market which he has failed woefully to do.

“Now our Naira is exchange at N560 per Dollar as against N160 per Dollar in 2015 when he took over power. The list of the President’s failed promises and lies are endless which time will not permit us to state.

“When it comes to who is lying to Nigerians, Nigerians know better.

“So we call on the Buhari Media Organization, BMO, to redirect their accusation to their principal, President Muhammadu Buhari because he is the one lying here and not Governor Ortom who has performed immeasurably to the satisfaction of Benue indigenes and other Nigerians living in the state; enough said.”