From Rose Ejembi, Makurdi

Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has called on Nigerians to set aside religious and political differences and work together to save the country from its current security and economic challenges.

Governor Ortom made the call on Saturday when he played host to the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, at Government House, Makurdi, the Benue State capital.

Governor Fayemi, an All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential aspirant, was in the state to reach out to delegates of the Party ahead of the party’s presidential primaries billed to hold later this month.

Speaking during the visit, Governor Ortom posited that all Nigerians, whether in the APC and PDP, Christians or Moslems, must forget about the party and religious sentiments and join hands together to tackle the challenges facing the country.

“All of us are involved and there is the need for us to work together to rescue our nation,” Governor Ortom stated.

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While commending the efforts of leaders across party lines who have indicated interest to serve the country, Ortom appealed that whoever God chooses to lead the country should consider the interest of the Nigerian masses above personal considerations.

He described the Ekiti governor as a credible presidential aspirant who, like other presidential aspirants, has the capacity to lead the country, having done well in previous positions and wished that the APC picks him as its flag bearer.

Earlier in his remarks, the APC presidential aspirant who said he was in the state to see APC delegates noted that it was customary for him to visit his colleague, Governor Ortom before moving over to the APC State Secretariat to meet with delegates in continuation of his consultations.

Governor Fayemi promised that if elected president, he would retool the armed forces, ensure effective intelligence gathering and strengthen the use of technology to tackle security as some of his core areas of interest.

He said that in solving the myriad of challenges in the country, the NGF chairman noted that key triggers leading to security challenges, which include extreme inequality and poverty as well as national cohesion must be addressed if he becomes the country’s next president.

The presidential aspirants who later met with APC delegates at the Royal Choice Inn in Makurdi expressed the assurance that whoever gets the APC ticket will be president.