Nigerian Concord Newspaper
Loyalists of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume have accused the governor of Benue state, Father Hyacinth Alia for using pressure groups to blackmail the former governor of the state.
Recall that yesterday, Alia was accused to have sponsored a press conference purportedly addressed by the Zone A People’s Assembly, ZAPA where Akume was accused of pulling down the governor’s administration.
According to ZAPA, Akume is plotting the downfall of Alia’s administration because the governor didn’t allow him to control his government and also that he (Alia) didn’t support Becky Orpin to emerge as the Speaker of the State House of Assembly in June.
ZAPA also accused Akume of giving federal appointments to his own kinsmen at the expense of other clans in the state.
But reacting to the press release from ZAPA, Mr. Mike Msuaan, a very close loyalist of Senator George Akume who issues a press release this morning said that the group which he described as ‘faceless’ is being sponsored by Alia and members of his inner caucus to blackmail the SGF.
Msuaan who spoke on behalf of a factional Tiv Youth Council said that ZAPA isn’t fighting for the interest of the Tiv land but is being used by someone believed to be Governor Alia to cause disaffection between the people of Benue North East zone and create acrimony between the people of the zone and the SGF on one hand and other zones in the state.
He said: “ZAPA does not speak for the enlightened and politically sophisticated people of Zone- A. Sen. George Akume has been the target of blackmail, and provocative propaganda of this group since it’s formation.
“The press release and wild allegations hurled at the SGF are figments of the imagination of ZAPA and their sponsors. Their intention as usual is to blackmail the SGF and distract him from his responsibility as the chief scribe of the nation.
“ZAPA is a Faceless, microscopic and narrow minded non existent group of people who have coined the name to give their mischief and blackmail a colouration. The group does not represent the aspirations of the people of the zone, neither do they have the mandate of the people to issue such a press destructive release”