Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja

Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, has given a reason why President Muhammadu Buhari did not rush to react to the killings in Benue State following the New Day’s attack.

According to him, the President waited to have the full report about the situation before going public.

Enang made the disclosure at an interaction with the Buhari Project Group, comprising of Buhari Media Support group and Buhari/Osinbajo coalition groups, Thursday evening in Abuja.

“There were allegations of herdsmen being infiltrated by insurgents to cause the mayhem in Benue state; there were other allegations that foreigners from neighbouring countries were part of it. So, the President had to get the clear picture of what was actually going on.”

The Presidential aide debunked claims that President Buhari did not do anything or did very little while the killings were being perpetrated in Benue, adding that “the President preferred to do more and talk less.”

Enang referred newsmen to a recent letter which the President wrote to the Senate President in reponse to the Seante’s earlier letter demanding to know what he had done so far on the issue of Benue killings.

He added that it was wrong to continue to blame the President on the issue of land for grazing or cattle colonies in the states of the federation, adding that by the provisions of the Land use Act of 1978, which are reflected in the constitution, that have not been amended, the President has no power over land.

Enang said that even though the constitution spelled out that state and local governments should provide land for, among others, grazing, President Buhari only appealed to governors to implement such constitutional provisions.

“In [the] federal system of government we are practicing, there are certain things that the President cannot do, and that is why he is being cautious so that the same people that are accusing him now of not doing those things would not also ‘blow grammar’ if he does them.”

The explanation, he said, became necessary so as to enable support groups carry take the message to the grassroots as the nation prepares for the 2019 general elections.

Earlier, the chairman of Buhari Media Support Group (BMSG), Austin Braimoh, had enumerated the record of the Buhari’s government on security, economic, educational and other sectors, saying the President deserves to continue in office beyond 2019 to complete them.