Buhari’s visit to Benue, Taraba afterthought, says Fayose

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has described President
Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to Taraba and planned visit to Benue,
Zamfara, Yobe and Rivers states, which have recorded different forms
of killings this year as afterthought, saying; “Obviously, the
President is more concerned about his reelection in 2019 and his visit
to those States that he abandoned during their times of trouble is to
seek for votes, not to sympathize with the people of the States on
their loses.”

Governor Fayose likened President Buhari to a selfish king who went on
making merry while his people were in agony only to show up when the
people had already buried their loved ones that were gruesomely
murdered, gotten over their anguish and moved on with their lives.

In a statement issued by Monday, by his Special Assistant on Public
Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Governor Fayose said it
was the height of cruelty that the same President Buhari, who promised
to lead from the front in the fight against Boko Haram could not visit
Dapchi, Yobe State where 110 school girls were abducted by the
insurgents, elected to go on merry making in Kano.

“On January 9 and 12, this year, 88 victims of herdsmen attacks were
given mass burial in Taraba State. Also on January 11, 2018, another
73 persons killed by suspected Fulani herdsmen in Benue State were
buried in a mass grave in Makurdi, the state capital.

“Meaning that in Taraba and Benue States alone, 161 Nigerians were
given mass burial within three days! This never caught the attention
of our President. Rather, it was a visit to Nasarawa, a neighboring
State to Benue that was important to him.

“To further demonstrate his lack of compassion for Nigerians, while
the entire nation, especially parents of the 110 abducted school girls
in Dapchi, Yobe State are still in anguish, President Buhari went to
Kano last Saturday to attend a social function, thus sparking negative
reactions from Nigerians.

“Apparently, it was the negative reactions of Nigerians, especially on
Social Media and the effects on the President’s reelection bid that
necessitated his hurried visit to Taraba State today, and planned
visits to Benue, Zamfara, Yobe and Rivers States.

“I am sure the people of Taraba State won’t be hoodwinked by the
President’s cosmetic sympathy, show of concern and crocodile tears,
which he never bordered to shed when hundreds of indigenes of the
State were being killed by suspected herdsmen,” the governor said.

While declaring the visits as belated and afterthought, Governor
Fayose said; “Nigerians can no longer be deceived by a President who
never cared for them when they needed him most. Therefore, no amount
of hurriedly organized campaign visits will sway the people, who never
saw the President to protect them from being killed and console them
when they lost their dear ones.”