By Peter Duru

KINSMEN of Senator George Akume on the platform of Jemgbagh Youth Alliance, JYA, have tongue lashed the former Governor for allegedly disparaging Governor Samuel Ortom and his administration in Jos during the campaign flag-off of Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong.

Ortom-Akume

At the rally, the senator representing Benue North West district was alleged to have described Makurdi as the ‘dirtiest state capital.’

Irked by the comment, President of JYA, Comrade Ternenge Bendega, in a statement in Makurdi decried Akume’s alleged penchant for bad-mouthing the state and urged him to tender an apology to the people of the state.

Part of the statement read: “We watched in disbelief and a sense of shame, Senator George Akume’s utterances in Jos, during the campaign flag-off of Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong. Senator Akume in his recent series of tirades, made disparaging comments against Benue State and Governor Samuel Ortom.

“Akume’s statements during the campaign flag-off were more of an indictment of himself than Governor Ortom. A man who governed Benue for eight years and made little or no attempt to turn Makurdi to the dream city he now talks about has no moral justification to criticize his successors.

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“In other states, former governors, even if they disagree with their successors don’t make their states laughing stocks publicly like Senator Akume has done since his relationship with Governor Ortom went sour.

“Other former governors bless their states not curse them with tags such as ‘dirtiest state capital’. They encourage and inspire their people not blame them for “killing themselves. We condemn in strong terms Akume’s utterances in Jos and also demand a public apology from him.”