Nigerian Concord Newspaper
The Action Group of Benue state has called on President Bola Tinubu to quickly look into the leadership crisis in the state between Governor Hyacinth Alia and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume which it said has degenerated to attempts on the lives of the governor and two of his close associates, Chief Livinus Tsar and Moses Ternenge.
The pressure group in a press conference addressed by Simeon Unenge,PhD and Chief Abu Tsetim, its president and secretary respectively said that the recent attempt on the life of the governor during the burial of Late Paul Unongo in Kwande should be investigated by the president while Senator Akume should also explain his involvement in the attack.
The Benue State Action Group pressed further that it’s time for President Bola Tinubu to listen to agitations of the good people of Benue state that Senator Akume should be removed as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
Giving reasons for the call for Akume’s removal as SGF, the group said: “It is on record that Senator Akume who didn’t believe in the election of President Bola Tinubu after the presidential primaries of the All Progressive Congress was the one secretly working against a Muslim-Muslim ticket.
“As a result of this, Senator Akume didn’t show enough commitment during the presidential election and this helped the Labour Party candidate, Peter Obi to have a upper hand in Benue state.
“And because he believes that a Muslim-Muslim ticket won’t fly in 2027, the SGF has started using his office to raise huge funds to finance his own presidential bid in 2027. This is also understood as the major reason he is fighting with Governor Hyacinth Alia.
“On assumption of duties as governor, Senator George Akume instructed him (Father Alia) to be remitting a whooping sum of N1b to him and N200m to his wife, a member of the House of Representatives monthly. The governor disagreed, saying that he wouldn’t fund a project that will go against the reelection bid of President Tinubu in 2027.
“As a result of the governor’s refusal to give such huge funds to Senator Akume and his wife, the SGF raised a committe of APC stakeholders led by Senator Titus Zam to wage war against the leadership of Alia in the state chapter of All Progressive Congress.
“And in his quest to hijack the leadership and structure of the party in Benue state, the SGF ordered his security men and political thugs to attack the governor, Chief Tsar and Mr. Moses in Kwande last week.
“With that attack and other attacks that are being plotted, one can easily accuse that the SGF wants to bring down the reign of Father Hyacinth Alia as governor of Benue state”
The Benue State Action Group begged the president to replace Senator Akume with another Benue son who will be ready to work together with Governor Alia to deliver the state to him in 2027.
Also, the group urged the National Working Committee of the All Progressive Congress led by Alhaji Umar Ganduje to quickly call the SGF to order so that the party won’t become a thing of history in Benue state
It also tasked security agencies in Nigeria to hold the handlers of the SGF liable for any break of law and orderliness in the state as a result of their planned attacks on the governor.