Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has condemned action of security personnel at the main entrance of Air Force Base in Makurdi, the State capital who on Saturday, February 12th, 2022, denied him entrance at the gate of the Air Force base while he was on his way to receive the Vice President of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo.
The Vice President was on his way to Wukuri, Taraba State, enroute Benue to attend the convocation of the Federal University, Wukari.
The Governor described the action by the security personnel as unacceptable, breach of protocol and politics taken too far saying he had set out to attend the burial of Professor Ignatius Ayua but had to delegate his deputy in order to receive the Vice President when he received a communication via a letter from the presidency intimating him of the Vice President’s transit visit.
The letter addressed to the Governor from the State House Abuja was dated 10th February, 2022, with reference VP/SP/DOP/26 and titled: “visit of His Excellency, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, GCON, Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria to Wukari, Taraba State transiting NAF Base, Makurdi, on Saturday, 12th February, 2022.”
The letter, which was signed by Ambassador Abdullahi Gwary, said the Vice President would return through the same route in the afternoon.
But on getting to the main gate of the Air Force, security personnel at the entrance said the Governor’s convoy won’t be allowed in because according to them, they were not informed about the Governor’s visit to receive the Vice President and wondered why he should be treated like that by the Air Force personnel in the State where he is the Chief Security Officer.
He vowed to report the matter to the Vice President for necessary action, stressing that there should be a clear difference between politics and governance.