Nigerian Concord Newspaper
Facts have emerged on how the Secretary to the Government of the Federation Senator George Akume gave an express order to the Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Mr. Dajoh Aondoana to reinstate the seven lawmakers that were serving a six month suspension for insubordination.
Thirteen lawmakers were suspended for six months by the House of Assembly early this year as a result of their different opinions and approach towards the indictment of the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Maurice Ikpwambese.
Two months ago, six of the lawmakers were reinstated by the Speaker while the remaining seven lawmakers who are core loyalists of Senator Akume continued with their suspension.
But multiple sources within the SGF’s camp told this newspaper last night that several secret meetings were held with the Speaker and five other principal officers of the House of Assembly where it was agreed that the Speaker should reinstate the remaining lawmakers without further delay.
Even when the six months which their suspension was to last has not yet completed, the Speaker returned them back to their legislative duties on Tuesday on the order of the SGF.
All the sources that spoke with our reporters from the SGF’s house stated that it was agreed at the meeting which Speaker Dajoh and Representatives of Senator Akume held in the US that all government contracts should be probed.
“Yes, Dajoh met with some of our people here and there (USA) on the insistence of Oga (Akume), and the SGF ordered him to return Becky and other back to work in order to gather enough strength for the fight ahead of him. Oga also ordered the speaker to speak with some principal officers of the House to ask that all government contracts be probed. Government officials will also be queried on the order of the SGF.
“Apart from that, the SGF also wants the Wage Bill of the State be probed and properly scrutinized maybe something can be found against the governor and his men. That is why they brought the issue of wage Bill out on the floor of the House on Tuesday. Since he doesn’t want to give Caesar what belongs to Caesar, then we will ensure that he is frustrated with the help of the Assembly members.
“The SGF wants to know what the governor had spent on contracts and how they were awarded and also if due process was followed in awarding the contacts. SUBEB, BLGCA and the BIRS are also parts of the places we want the speaker to investigate for us. We will surely find something against them so that an impeachment process can begin” a top official working with Akume who doesn’t want to be mentioned said.
He continued: “You can see that the seven members that were reinstated on Tuesday have brought ginger to the Assembly which was already dead since they were suspended. And now, we are winning the war with the collaboration of the speaker and his men. On the order of Oga, the speaker who is now on our side has instructed the commissioner for finance in the state to stop paying contractors and this will definitely put government works on hold until Alia agrees to our terms since we are the ones that put him there.
Meanwhile, a source between the Governor and the SGF raised fears that the fresh steps by the Assembly members are dangerous and will affect the affairs of the State.
He said: “With these steps, the governor will be frustrated. I think their fear is the speed with which the governor is working so they now planned to use the lawmakers to stop him to make him. One of the lawmakers actually told me that the governor wants to shine more than the three previous administrations within just two years in office”
He added that Benue people aren’t happy with the peace move between Akume and Alia because the SGF isn’t genuinely ready to work with the governor as directed by President Bola Tinubu during his visit to the state last month.
His words: “After the president came and pronounced a presidential directive, the governor visited Akume, made peace with him, the Assembly members as well as the chief judge of the State.
“It was after this that the SGF went behind to lobby the lawmakers to begin plots to frustrate the administration. They have asked the finance commissioner to stop payments and with this, salaries will stop, contracts will stop, a lot will stop and what they want to achieve is to incapacitate the administration as a result of their own selfishness.
“Peace is good but you don’t try to make peace with an enemy who has sworn to make you fail. This is why the people of Benue were worried when the news came out that the governor had made peace with Senator George Akume”