By Janet Ogwu, reporting from Makurdi
There were palpable fears yesterday in Kwande, the burial venue of late Wantaregh Paul Unongo, over the physical clash between the security officers of the Governor of Benue state, Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia and his estranged political godfather and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume.
Our reporter reported that it took the intervention of security operatives to rescue Governor Alia from the scene of the burial where he was attacked by thugs and security guards attached to the SGF.
According to our reporter, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation showed up at the venue at the time Governor Alia was rounding up his speech, and as he was mounting the Podium to deliver his speech, a serious clash started between his security aides and that of the governor.
While the fight which later turned to a physical attack on Governor Alia was going on, the governor’s security aides were busy making frantic efforts to evacuate him from the venue unhurt when it became clear that he was the main target of the attack.
The tension became much when some security men attached to the SGF were cocking their guns in front of the head of Governor Alia’s security team. This led to a serious crisis between both security teams.
However, Governor Alia who had been evacuated from the scene by his security guards later returned back to the Podium where Senator George Akume was angrily addressing the crowd that witnessed Unongo’s burial.
Flanked by Senator Titus Zam, Matthias Byuan, Teseer Ugbor and some other members of his political camp, Senator George Akume who was physically angry and boiling accused the duo of Senators Gabriel Suswam and Barnabas Gemade of hijacking Governor Alia and as well fueling the crisis between him and the governor.
Reacting to the ugly incident, a chieftain of the Benue All Progressive Congress who preferred not to be mentioned stated that the attack was not just a mere attack but an assassination attempt which was foiled by security operatives at the scene.
The chieftain continued that the governor’s return to the Podium where Senator George Akume was addressing the people at the event was prompted by a former public functionary under the People’s Democratic Party in Benue state.
Reacting to the incident in a press statement this morning, the Secretary of the Benue APC Youth Wing, Apostle Thomas Ikyange, the attack was needless since the party was working assiduously to return peace back.
According to him, President Bola Tinubu should call his appointees from Benue state including the Senator George Akume to order, adding that they should be made to explain why their sponsored thugs carried out such attack on the state governor.
Apostle Ikyange said that the former governor should resign from his exalted position of the SGF and relocate to Benue state since he is very interested in local politics..
He said that the president should understand that there are several Benue sons that can be appointed as SGF..