The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has criticized the Presidency for an alleged premeditated attack on the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, while noting an attempt to undermine the governor’s authority.

This was contained in a statement on Tuesday signed by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, and titled, ‘PDP Condemns Gov. Ortom’s Harassment at Makurdi Airforce Base’.

Ortom, over the weekend, was denied entry at the Makurdi Airforce Base during a visit to receive Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo.

According to the PDP, the act was orchestrated and utterly reprehensible since it is tantamount to disrespect on the office of the Governor and democratic tenets in the country.

“The Buhari Presidency cannot deny involvement in this pre-meditated and provocative act because all arms of the Armed Forces, including the Airforce are under the authority and control of the Commander-in-Chief, who is the head of the Executive arm to which the Vice President also belongs.

“Such orchestrated action against a democratically elected governor of a state by an organ of the Federal Government which is directly under the control of the Commander-in-Chief is, to say the least reprehensible. It is an unpardonable assault on our democracy, national unity, and peaceful co-existence in our country,” Ologunagba said.

The opposition party also noted that this alleged attack might be connected to the constant criticisms of the current administration by Governor Ortom who “has become a thorn in the flesh for the Buhari-led administration given his principled stand on the inhuman and life-discounting stance of the APC administration against the people of Benue State, particularly its failure to protect them from mass killing by marauders, terrorists, and known assailants as well as the ill-treatment to internally displaced persons in Benue State.

“The public can also recall the several attempts made on Governor Ortom’s life which remain unresolved despite assurances by the Federal Government to bring the culprits to book.

“Moreover, there are already apprehensions in Benue State that locking Governor Ortom out of the Airforce Base was ostensibly a plot to undermine security around the governor, orchestrate restiveness, place him in harm’s way and blame the outcome on hoodlums.”