Rose Ejembi, Makurdi

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has proposed the convention of a sovereign national conference as a solution to Nigeria’s numerous problems.

Ortom stated this on Thursday in Makurdi at the Interdenominational Independence and Thanksgiving Service organized by the state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria in conjunction with the state Government.

“I want to propose that the presidency and all of us should agree to convene a sovereign national conference and the decision of that conference will be binding on Nigeria and Nigerians. Let there be a sovereign national conference.

The Governor who posited that Nigeria’s challenges are beyond ethnic, partisan, economic and security issues among others stressed the need for all Nigerians irrespective of ethnic, tribal or political inclination to arise and collectively work towards a new Nigeria.

While noting that many Nigerians who are not satisfied with the goings-on in the country are calling for restructuring, maintained that it was high time everyone rose to the occasion to unanimously address the challenges plaguing the country.

He recalled that former President Gooluck Jonathan had called for a national conference but regretted that the report was jettisoned, stressing that, “If we had dusted the report and implemented it, something good would have come out of it.”

The Governor commended the uncommon resilience of all Nigerians in the face of economic, social and security challenges averring that Nigerian leaders have failed the people.

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“As leaders, we have failed from the top to the bottom. If I’m permitted, I will apologise on behalf of the President. Nothing is working in this country.

“Are we sincere in the fight against corruption? All we do is prosecute chicken thieves while in the same country, we have people who have stolen billions and are being promoted and given national awards. This is the level of injustice going on in this country.

“Not exunerating myself, we leaders have failed our people. Things are not correct in this country,” Ortom said

On his part, CAN Chairman, Rev. Akpen Leva said the challenge of insecurity occasioned chiefly by herdsmen attacks in the country has remained the most disturbing problem in recent years.

Leva who lamented that the security situation is threatening the very fabric of the country stated that no one, including security agents, is safe any longer.

He therefore encouraged the Government to rise up and do the needful as according to him, “the pain is too much to bear.”