A group, Benue Development Coalition (BENCO) has called on President Bola Tinubu to warn the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, to call his supporters to order, against actions that could undermine Governor Hyacinth Alia’s leadership in the state.
The President of BENCO, Dr Peter Gwa, in an open letter to President Tinubu, claimed that the SGF’s loyalists have perfected the plan to rely on the farmer-herder conflict to unleash crisis on the state in order to make it ungovernable for the governor.
According to the statement he made: “Your Excellency, it may interest you to know that despite the reality of the influx of herdsmen in Benue State, intelligence on the ground suggests that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation is aware of plots by his loyalists to take advantage of the ‘herdsmen narrative’ and activate local militia to cause mayhem, just to get at the governor and by extension your administration.”
He told the president that the security of the lives and property of Nigerians rests with him and that any attempt to politicize insecurity by any individual must be discouraged.
As part of the speech, Dr Gwa stated, “We urge you, Mr President to call Sen George Akume to order for the sake of stability needed for development.
“Your Excellency, we appeal for your intervention for stability in Benue State. His Excellency Fr Dr Hyacinth Alia has expressed commitment to work for the people under the party’s platform and in line with your Renewed Hope Agenda.”
Dr Gwa further claimed that before the recent killings in the state, the governor, after a state security council deliberations, approved the full implementation of the Open Grazing law.
This, according to him, was a commitment that suggested the governor’s readiness to tackle the issue in line with existing law.
“Instead of the some National Assembly members to sensitize their people on how to fight the insecurity, unfortunately, they are being used by the SGF to undermine the governor of Benue State,” he alleged.
The group also accused the Benue State Working Committee of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of working in cahoots with the SGF to undermine Governor Alia.
Governor Alia had been a running battle with the members of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) barely a few months after his administration.
The party leaders in the state have accused the priest-turned-politician of political rascality as he allegedly refused to allow them to have a say on how he will run his government.
The APC passed a vote of no confidence on his leadership at some point and attempted to break the party into two factions.
