…call for truce

By Peter Duru, Makurdi

Former members of the Benue State House of Assembly have expressed concern over the lingering face-off between Governor Hyacinth Alia and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator George Akume.

The former lawmakers also decried the sour relationship between the state government and members of the National Assembly from the state and called for an end to the squabbles.

Addressing the media Wednesday in Makurdi, the lawmakers through a former Speaker of the House, Mr. Dave Iorhemba “passed a-vote-of-confidence in the leadership of the All Progressive Congress, APC, under Senator George Akume and the Chairmanship of Mr. Austin Agada and urge the Government of Benue State to desist from further polarization of the party.”

While expressing worry about the frosty relationship between the Governor of the State and the representatives of Benue State at the National Assembly, the Minister for Water Resources and other appointees, the former lawmakers stated that “It is noteworthy that it is only when there is a synergy between the Governor and the state’s representative at the central government that greater dividends would be attracted to Benue state and we urge a restoration of peace between the parties.”

The ex-lawmakers declared support for Senator Akume as leader of the party noting that, “without equivocation, we state that the APC as a party is built around the person of the Senator George Akume who nurtured and sustained the party in the state since its registration.

“We declare our unflinching support to our leader, Senator Akume and state in clear terms that the leadership of the APC in Benue State is not in issue but rests unreservedly on the SGF in whom it’s epitomized the perfect politician who readily lends a hand to the least in society.”

The ex-lawmakers, however, commended Governor Alia for ensuring the prompt payment of workers’ salaries and pensions at the end of every month saying “we note with gratitude, that the administration’s dogged posture of paying salaries and pension not later than 25th of successive months has eliminated the near despondency of the civil servants and pensioners and pray that the salary and pension arrear and gratuity be paid those concerned in order that there would be a stimulation of the human capital for higher performance.”

They also commended “the Govemor’s zeal and efforts at upgrading infrastructural development in the state and urged him to persevere in his quest to give Benue State a facelift which admittedly, has been neglected for too long.

“We, however, note a misplacement of priority in the choice of the construction of an underpass at High-Level roundabout in Makurdi and Gyado Junction in Gboko when the roads feeding the underpass are near impassible. The rural roads and streets ought to have been reasonably prioritized given the enormous amount of money involved in the construction of the underpass and the attendant benefits.”

While condemning the politicisation of the armed herdsmen killings in the state, the former lawyers urged Governor Alia to “employ the coercive apparatus of state in enforcement of the Anti Open Grazing Law to check the menace of herders’ activities so as to foreclose further hostilities between the farmers and herders as we enter the wet /farming season.”