By Michael Agbaji.
Th members of the National Assembly
members of the National Assembl Caucus elected on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) from Benue State has asked president Ahmed Tinubu to called governor Alias of Benue State to order for undemocratic leadership.
In a press conference today at the National Assembly in Abuja, Caucus says,It is necessary to state from the onset that, we have collectively and individually drawn the attention of the leader of the APC in Benue, Sen. Dr. George Akume Secretary to the Government of the Federation who has on several occasions pleaded for patience from us in the anticipation of a possible change of attitude from His Excellency Governor Hyacinth Alia, rather than change for the better:
They said,Governor Alia has become more emboldened and has continued to treat us and the party in general in the most disgusting disrespectful and disingenuous manner.
They further gave the background information on the status of APC in Benue State could be relevant at this juncture, Benue State APC, under the leadership of Sen. Dr George Akume as two terms former Governor of Benue, 3 times Senator, Minister and now secretary to the Government of the Federation had won elections and taken over power in 2015 after President Tinubu alongside other Nigerians formed the party in 2014.
The Caucus gave the setback experience by the party when former Governor Samuel Ortom defected to the PDP which was describes as a temporary set -back for APC in State.
They says, Fr. Alia only came to reap where he did not sow. In any case, you are well aware of the rejection his candidacy received from older members of the party including litigations in several courts of Law up to the Supreme Court of Nigeria, it took the strident support of Sen. Dr. George Akume to extricate his candidacy from the destructive grip of his co-aspirants and eventual victory at the polls.
It was an embarrassing experience for the Party having to face the dejection in the hands of an administration it labored hard to install. However, the party submitted and sustained their faith in the Governor and his government even when they felt aggrieved and resorted to stand by the advice of the leader of the party Sen. Dr. George Akume whose counsel has always been for the party to keep praying for Fr. Alia to succeed they said.
The Caucus lists sins of Governor Alias include the nomination of caretaker committees to man the various local governments , 3 candidates each for the position of Caretaker Chairman, Deputy and Secretary as well Supervisory Councilors across the twenty three local government demanding for two slots of supervisory councilors from each of the local governments, which was describes as a first time a governor will demand such from the caretaker council formation against the usual one slot per local government.
According to them,the disrespect and disregard to members of NASS: Governor Hyacinth Alia since assumption of duty has not held any meeting with NASS members of Benue State who were elected on the same APC platform with him neither does he pick or return their telephone calls not to talk about consulting them on political matters in the State.
They accused Governor Alia of no have a single developmental blue print for Benue State. They agreed to continue total loyalty to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the National Party Chairman, Umar Ganduje, Sen. Dr. George Akume the SGE, the State Chairman of APC, Comrade Austine Agada and his Exco.
