By Aare Abiodun Oluwarotimi
The Benue state Tiv Youths Organization, TYO said the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume and all the federal government appointees from the state shouldn’t claim credit for the peaceful atmosphere in state amidst the ongoing nationwide End Bad Government protest.
The group also warned the Benue APC National Assembly Caucus members under the leadership of Senator Zam Titus to stop claiming that they were the ones that stopped the protest in Benue state.
The organization was reacting to various media posts by handlers of the SGF where they claimed that he was the one that pleaded with protesters not to go on with the protest in Benue state.
According to the Tiv Youths Organization in a press conference addressed by its spokesperson, Vincent Kaior in Makurdi during the week, it was the state governor, Revered Father Hyacinth Alia that pleaded with them that they shouldn’t do any protest in Benue state.
They said the governor in his pleas to them days before the protest started in Nigeria, urged them to be patient with President Bola Tinubu. They added that they chose to listen to Governor Alia since they too also didn’t want to record any loss of life in the state as a result of the protest which had claimed several lives and properties in many states across the country.
He said: “The Tiv Youth Organisation (TYO) Wednesday said they chose to forgo participating in the #EndbadGovernance# protest in Benue state because of Governor Hycinth Alia, contrary to popular belief that their decision was influenced by National Assembly members or federal appointees from the state”
Kaior acknowledged the forum’s commendation of Benue youth for resisting the temptation to join the protest, describing their decision as wise and instrumental in maintaining peace and preventing wanton destruction of lives and property.
He urged members of the public not to believe the “lies” from the SGF’s camp, stressing that it was Governor Alia who took decisive action which eventually stoped the protest in Benue.
According to him, the governor’s achievements, including political appointments for youth, infrastructure development, and prompt payment of workers’ emoluments, convinced the youth to choose peace.