The Save Nigeria Movement (SNM) criticized Benue Governor Samuel Ortom’s requests to delay the country’s population and housing census as being incredibly insensitive, irrational, and counterproductive to the country’s progress.

While the nation goes through an election season in which those who lost are urgently attempting to sow seeds of conflict and unhappiness, SNM convener Solomon Semaka told reporters in Abuja.

In order to save Nigeria from the ravages of corruption and poor administration, he said it was crucial for Civil Society Organizations to come up in support of the truth.

He claimed that those naughtily requesting a further delay of the 2023 National Population and Housing Census deserved an immediate response.

“Of particular concern to us and indeed all well-meaning Nigerians is the attempt by Governor Ortom to constantly attack, criticize and vilify every Federal Government Policy as a way of gaining cheap popularity in the face of blatant inability to perform his constitutional duties to the people of Benue who voted him into power 8 years ago.  

“Benue State with four Universities and more than five other institutions of higher learning stand to benefit more from this Census exercise than any State. The pool of graduates churned out of these institutions and the need to establish industries to cater to the employment needs of the state through the abundant agro-allied and natural raw materials are just a few benefits of a Census to Benue indigenes and Nigerians at large. 

“The fact that job creation, industrial and social development, and education are the direct benefits of a Census exercise is lost on Ortom who uses every opportunity to attack, ridicule, and castigate the Federal Government is quite unfortunate.

“Clearly, the fact that Gov Ortom doesn’t see the need to support the Federal Government to successfully conduct the 2023 Census is wrong of him as a leader. 

“Earlier in January this year, some Governors commended the Federal Government and the National Population Commission for their efforts to organize the first digital Census which will provide credible and valuable data for development planning in Nigeria.

“It’ll be plausible to say Gov Ortom failed because he had no data on the needs of Benue people and certainly does not value data and hence, his attack on the only project that can transform Nigeria through data-driven and sustainable development.

“As critical stakeholders in the Benue and Nigerian project, we appeal to Governor Ortom to separate politics from issues of national interest. Census has nothing to do with his Fulani sentiments and innuendos and twisted narratives. Hiding under the banner of insecurity to call for the postponement of a project that’s about to kick off is callous, if insecurity did not stop elections then it can’t stop the 2023 Census. 

“It is enough that Benue is an opposition state, adding the burden of setting the state against the Federal Government will not bring development to the state nor will it sort the huge debt profile incurred over the years.  

“We encourage Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State to be challenged by the patriotic and selfless support the NPC has enjoyed from other state governors across the nation. Those state governors have demonstrated capacity, maturity, and understanding in supporting the Commission without any political undertones. It is not late for Ortom to have to rethink and change his position as it relates to this year’s Census exercise. As a State governor, he can be at the forefront, advocating for a successful Census using political, religious, and traditional institutions in the state.

“Regardless of the disposition of Governor Ortom and his co-travelers, we call on all well-meaning Nigerians to massively drum support for the forthcoming Census exercise. The role of religious and traditional institutions in almost every community in Nigeria cannot be overemphasized. It is our hope that they’ll use their platforms as avenues for raising awareness and advocacy toward the success of the Census exercise. The failure of this year’s Census will be our failure and the success of the exercise will equally be our success as a nation. Let us all choose to be on the positive side of history,” he said.