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Tag: Benue

  • EFCC victimizing Ortom, says media aide

    The Benue state government has condemned the freezing of the state’s account by the Economic and  Financial Crimes commission (EFCC).

    Terver Akase, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, in a statement said that the governor is being victimized.

    EFCC had reportedly frozen Benue government’s account for alleged diversion of N23, 088, 586, 206.

    Reacting to this, Akase stated that Ortom runs a transparent administration and has not diverted funds.

    “Benue has suffered heavy attacks by Fulani herdsmen since the beginning of the year. Within the period, the State Government has spent a lot to legitimately support security agencies to protect the people of the state. Governor Ortom has not diverted funds. He runs a transparent administration.”

    He described the act as a political witch-hunt against Governor Ortom. “Yes, it is true that accounts of the Benue State Government have been frozen by EFCC. It is part of the political witch-hunt against Governor Samuel Ortom.” Akase said.

    Read Also: BEHIND the storm against Ortom

    “The action of EFCC is already having negative impact on the running of government in Benue State. It is a move that will affect salaries, pensions and other sundry payments.

    “The question we are asking is; why did EFCC not investigate the Governor’s security votes when he was still a member of APC? Why start the investigation now?

    “EFCC should not allow itself to be used as an attack dog unleashed against perceived political opponents.

    “Let the Federal Government tell us how much it has spent on prosecuting the fight against Boko Haram and how much it spent on the other operations such as Python Dance, Crocodile Smile and Whirl Stroke.

    “We welcome the investigation, but as I said earlier, it should start from the Presidency and go across the 36 states. Benue should not be singled out for victimization, intimidation and harassment as the Federal Government with its agencies is currently doing.“

  • Benue and Imo travesties

    Nigeria’s political atmosphere is no doubt, under intense heat. It is being heated up by the gale of defections by legislators, governors and ensuing rhetoric by the political class. It is also receiving scorching currents from attempts by governments (state and federal) to play down the anticipated effects of the mass exodus of their members on the electoral fortunes of the ruling party.

    That accounts for statements from government functionaries and leaders as: Buhari will win comfortably in states A, B and C in the 2019 elections; we will not lose sleep over the defections; those decamping are paper weights and of questionable electoral value in their constituencies and we are happy moles have finally been exposed etc. These are to be expected as politicians seek to whittle down the effects of loss of membership on the fortunes of their party. But the truth remains, the matter is not as simplistic as we are being made to believe.

    Beyond this hype on the electoral standing of the ruling party, there are ample signals of potent danger to our democracy emanating from the handling of the defections and concomitant disagreements by party members. There is palpable fear of emerging reactions to the defections rupturing our hard-earned democracy. There is increasing suspicion despite claims by the government that it is very comfortable with the mass exodus of its members that it may be behind some of the illegal attempts to get even with defectors.

    It all started with the sealing off of the residences of the senate president and his deputy a fortnight ago under some hazy circumstances. When the dust settled, allegations were rife that the invasion was a subterfuge to impeach them on a day some senators of the ruling party were billed to decamp to the opposition. But that failed to materialize. The senate president managed to find his way to the chamber during which plenary some 15 senators decamped from the ruling party.

    If the impeachment of the senate leadership was largely speculative, events in Benue State a few days after the defection of Governor Samuel Ortom to the opposition have reinforced such theories. A group of eight lawmakers in a 30-member assembly, led by an impeached former speaker was reportedly helped by a detachment of well armed policemen to access the state assembly that was on recess. But as youths got wind of the situation and made moves to forestall the illegality, they were driven away by the police. The same police also made it impossible for 22 other legislators to sit. The group of eight, basking on security protection, accused the governor of financial infractions, issued impeachment notice on him and mandated the state Chief Judge to commence proceedings.

    The action of the minority lawmakers attracted serious umbrage from the public. It was seen as a throwback to the impunity of the past where devious and illegal means were deployed to sack democratically elected people and governments. Accusing fingers were pointed at the president given the role of the police in that show of shame. And for a government that came up just recently to brandish illegal impeachments by some past governments to demonstrate its commitment to democratic ethos, it struck as a huge contradiction and embarrassment.

    Sensing danger, Special Adviser to President Buhari on media, Femi Adesina made spirited but unsuccessful efforts to exculpate his boss from the muddle in the Benue assembly. He rejected the attempt to link Buhari to what he described as the inglorious past when lawmakers in their minority removed sitting governors in breach of the constitution contending that the president will not interfere in the current development in Benue.

    For him, those making such insinuations and asking the president to intervene are the same people who had been advocating strict compliance with separation of powers. Adesina accused them of setting up fire and then calling on the president to put it off. But his argument failed to address the substance of the suspicion and linkage-the role of security agencies in the scandal.

    It is curious that the alleged complicity of the police in providing security cover to the eight minority lawmakers was left unaddressed by the president’s spokesman. The refusal by the same police authorities (acting on orders from above) to allow the majority legislators entry into the state assembly left a yawning gap in Adesina’s defense. It is inconceivable minority lawmakers could force themselves into the assembly and make the illegal proclamation with a sitting governor helpless without connivance of law enforcement agencies. And why did they drive away the youths that came to resist the impunity only to allow those bent on acts of illegality, if the motive was to maintain law and order? Again, to what extent can acts of illegality displayed by the minority lawmakers serve the course of peace in that state? All these reinforce the suspicion that the attempt to impeach Ortom albeit illegally was because of his defection to the opposition.

    There is yet any evidence that the president reprimanded the Inspector-General of Police or the leadership of security outfits fingered of complicity in that illegality. The president commands the security architecture of the country and cannot repudiate responsibility for acts of omission and commission by his appointees. Adesina failed to address who to hold responsible for the actions of security agencies in facilitating the “infamy”. That omission did incalculable harm to his intervention.

    It is equally an uncanny happenstance that as the Benue impeachment saga raged, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC unveiled the allegation of the embattled governors’ link to a fraud of N22bn. EFCC also claimed 21 members of that assembly are under investigation for allegedly diverting N375m meant for the procurement of vehicles. Though report has it investigation on the matter began in 2016, why the agency came up with it now remains largely curious and reinforces suspicion that Ortom’s defection is at the centre of it all.

    The same conspiracy to get even with people critical of the government can be gleaned from the current predicament of the deputy senate president, Ike Ekweremadu. Coming soon after the invasion of his residence by the police and the belated issuance of an invitation letter later that day, the EFCC lent its motive to serious suspicion. No one is against the agency doing its job. But such assignment must be carried out in the most professional manner that does not give room for suspicion that it is a pliable tool in the hands of the government. Sadly, that is the unmistakable impression it attracted to itself in the circumstance.

    The case of Imo State is of a slightly different nature but shares the same toga of illegality that had hallmarked some impeachment processes in the past. Here is a state wing of the APC embroiled in factional supremacy tussle that found the governor and his deputy in contending camps. The Deputy Governor, Eze Madumere is in the camp of a coalition opposed to Governor Rochas Okorocha’s desire to have his son in-law succeed him. The last congresses of the party reinforced factionalization along these lines with two executives emerging. Apparently to get even with his deputy, Okorocha deployed his arsenal to teach his former employee a bitter lesson of his life.

    With a majority of state assembly men in his kitty, he goaded an impeachment process that led to the sack of the deputy governor. That was not before a court of competent jurisdiction had ruled against the process. But the ruling made no difference to the governor as he made all arrangements to have a new deputy governor sworn in by the state’s chief judge. Those invited to the ceremony including the purported new deputy governor were jolted when the news came after hours of waiting that the event cannot go on because of extant court order.

    But for the principled stance of the judiciary, the impeachment of Madumere would have been a foregone conclusion. The Benue judiciary also came handy by halting the illegal impeachment process initiated by the minority lawmakers. By the rulings, the judiciary has strengthened our democracy. But the task of safeguarding the grand norms for democratic engagement must not be left to the judiciary if democracy is not to be compromised as the 2019 elections approach.

    If increasing intolerance of dissent, subversion of due process and partisan deployment of security and ancillary agencies to further political ends do not take the back seat, 2019 may be the nation’s albatross.

  • APC will adopt labour tactics to win Kwara, Sokoto, Benue

    National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has told the Peoples Democratic Party that he would rather be an attack dog than be a mushroom eater.

    Comrade Oshiomhole said he opted for the tactics he is deploying as National Chairman of the APC because of the party’s commitment to Nigerians.

    Oshiomhole who spoke to reporters at the Bénin Airport on his way to Sapele, Delta State yesterday, said the APC would continue to engage and pro-attack, whether the opposition called him an attack dog or not.

    The former Edo State governor added that APC would deploy labour tactics to humble the PDP in Kwara, Benue and Sokoto states.

    He said: “I asked you to understand that what is at stake is beyond the APC and the PDP. Nigeria is much more than the sum total of all the political parties.

    “We will see who is who in February next year. In Edo, they made this argument that politics is different from labour, but we used labour tactics to humble them and they became converted.

    “Exactly the same way we used it in Edo, we will use it either in Kwara, Benue or Sokoto or anywhere.

    “This is not about me, it is not about them, it is about the Nigerian people.

    “I will not adopt the ruling class tactics to deal with a cankerworm of disease. I offer a different style in order to get a different outcome.”

    Addressing thousands of APC supporters who were at the Bénin Airport to welcome him, Oshiomhole said the APC under his leadership would not borrow what he termed other people’s style.

    Oshiomhole urged APC supporters not to despair as he would work with President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that the party meets their aspirations.

    He promised to work with Governor Godwin Obaseki to ensure that any concerns the party members have would be addressed satisfactorily.

    He said: “I will represent the feelings, the aspirations and I will meet your expectations as far as the running of the All Progressives Congress is concerned.

    “We will have to fight odds on the basis of our conviction and we will adjust our style. We will not borrow other people’s style.

    “I am very proud of my working class background and we will bring those values into the leadership and management of the APC.

    “I will ensure working together with President Buhari to see that government focuses on the people; that government will not focus on the welfare of the few at the expense of the majority; that government must do everything possible to ensure that those who work have something to show for their labour.

    “We must support the President and the APC to remove all those thieves, all those looters who believe it is their birthright to continue to loot.

    “I want to assure you that the tradition of carrying our people along will be sustained.

    “You represent what I call our infantry division. You are the ones who on election day ensure that our voters come out. You were the ones who ensured that the PDP rigging machine was defeated.

    “We must keep you as a standing point. Together we will match on and will ensure that everyone who works is looked after.

    “I know there are people with all kinds of stories, but let me assure you that after the storm, the weather will settle.

    “Trust me, as you have not abandoned me, I will never abandon you.

    “To our youths, I want to particularly appeal to you: don’t lose faith. There will be work, there will be participation, there will be involvement. We will not throw anybody away.

    “Nobody will be used and dumped. If yesterday has come beautiful, tomorrow will be better.”

  • Show of shame in Benue

    Sir: George Satayana is the one who said that those who failed to learn from history will relive it. The shenanigan going on in Benue State House of Assembly where six lawmakers loyal to a factional leader in Benue APC crisis is orchestrating the removal of the Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, with the active connivance of the security operatives shows that Nigerians have not learnt from history and will relive it.

    There is no doubt that the shenanigan is consequent upon the defection of the Benue State governor from the ruling APC to the opposition PDP. Benue House of Assembly is made up of 28 members of which 22 is said to be loyal to the governor while six is loyal to Senator George Akume, a former governor of the state. According to the report, the six lawmakers in spite of not forming the quorum and despite the fact, that the speaker Torkambi Kyanse had earlier been impeached met and actually commenced impeachment proceedings against the governor  with the police and other security agencies providing them with security. We have been this way before; at the end of the day, truth prevailed. The case of Joshua Dariye of Plateau State readily comes to mind.

    Why our leaders are behaving like the French Bourbon of the 18th Century France who history said learnt nothing from the events of the past and forgot nothing is a conjecture A.P.C and President Muhammadu Buhari that promised Nigerians change before coming to power can fathom.

    Are the shenanigans ongoing part of change they promised Nigerians? If Ortom decamped from APC to PDP, is there no other way to deal with him than the tacit endorsement of the show of shame in the House of Assembly? It is highly unfortunate that APC has gone the way of its nemesis PDP and the unnecessary heating of the polity is an outcrop of APC derailment. President Buhari denial of his administration’s non- involvement merely begs the issue as the police could not have provided security for the six lawmakers without the knowledge and perhaps consent of the police hierarchy and the president. One would have advised the APC leadership to make restitution but time is no longer on its side. One can only pray that the agent of real and positive change emerges in Nigeria.

     

    • Adewuyi Adegbite,

    Ayekoo05@gmail.com

     

  • Buhari not behind moves to remove Ortom – Presidency

    The Presidency on Tuesday denied the allegation that President Muhammadu Buhari is behind moves by some Benue State lawmakers towards unseating the state governor, Samuel Ortom.

    A statement by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, said that President Buhari will never be part of any unconditionally act.

    He said “Even while attending the ECOWAS/ECCAS Summit in Togo, strident attempts were being made to drag President Muhammadu Buhari into the unfolding drama between the executive and the legislature in Benue State.

    “Statements have been issued by different interest groups, insinuating that the President may have a hand in the development in Benue.

    “This is paranoia at its worst, coming from people who have wittingly positioned themselves against the clean-up of the country, and the way we do things. They prefer business as usual.

    “President Buhari will never be part of any unconstitutional act, and any attempt to link him with the inglorious past, when minority number of lawmakers impeached governors, will not stick.

    “It will simply be like water off the duck’s back. Those with open minds know this, but those who cavil would rather source everything untoward to the President. It is murky ground in which they are now marooned, as fallout of their resistance to change in the country.

    According to him, they only preach separation of powers and true federalism whenever it suits them, while also calling on the President to interfere brazenly in affairs at state level.

    President Buhari, he said, will always stand by all that is noble and fair, and will reject attempts to drag him into infamy.

    “People who stoke fires by deliberate acts of omission or commission, and then summon the President to come and put it out will find that this President will be guided by the Constitution at all times, no matter the attempt to entangle him in unwarranted controversies.” he said

  • Benue: Buhari will never be part of unconstitutional act – Presidency

    The Presidency has condemned attempts in some quarters to drag the name of President Muhammadu Buhari into the on-going political saga in Benue State House of Assembly.

    Mr Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday, dissociated the president from the developments.

    Adesina described as paranoia the statements issued by different interest groups, insinuating that the president might have a hand in the developments.

    “This is paranoia at its worst, coming from people who have wittingly positioned themselves against the clean-up of the country and the way we do things,’’ he said.

    The presidential aide noted that the allegation was being made against Buhari when he was attending the ECOWAS/ECCAS Summit in Togo.

    He added that strident attempts were being made to drag Buhari into the unfolding drama between the executive and the legislature in Benue.

    Adesina said Buhari would never be part of any unconstitutional act and any attempt to link him with the inglorious past when minority number of lawmakers impeached governors would not stick.

    Read Also: Buhari ‘not bothered’ about defections in APC

    He said “It will simply be like water off the duck’s back. Those with open minds know this, but those who cavil would rather source everything untoward to the president.

    “It is murky ground in which they are now marooned as fallout of their resistance to change in the country.

    “When it suits them, they preach separation of powers and true federalism, and in another breath, they call on the president to interfere brazenly in affairs at state level.

    “President Buhari will always stand by all that is noble and fair and will reject attempts to drag him into infamy.

    “People who stoke fires by deliberate acts of omission or commission, and then summon the president to come and put it out will find that this president will be guided by the Constitution at all times, no matter the attempt to entangle him in unwarranted controversies.’’

  • Defection: PDP battles crises in Kano, Kwara, Benue, five other states

    •Panel summons Shekarau, Kwankwaso, ex-ministers •Ortom may get re-election ticket, PDP wades in Gemade-Suswam tussle for Senatorial ticket •Party hands over structure to Saraki, as Senate President woos PDP leaders in Kwara •Kogi: Melaye may get ticket, Yusuf likely back in the House of Reps •Dankwambo to determine ex-Minister’s fate, Nafada’s governorship ambition

    The recent gale of defections by top ranking members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has sparked crises in at least nine state chapters of the opposition party.

    Kano, Kwara, Benue, Kogi, Gombe and Sokoto are top on the list of the affected states, The Nation can now report.

    The rest are Imo, Adamawa and Bauchi.

    Party sources said yesterday that beneath the euphoria that greeted the defection of one governor, 11 senators and 35 Reps, for now, is immense resentment toward the defectors by current members of the PDP.

    Disturbed by the brewing tension, the PDP leadership has mandated the party’s Committee on Contact and Mobilization to wade in and hold talks with stakeholders.

    The committee is headed by ex-Cross River State Governor Liyel Imoke.

    It is scheduled to meet with stakeholders from the affected states tomorrow in Abuja.

    It is understood that the terms of engagement might be negotiated between old PDP members and defectors from the APC.

    The last stage of talks is said to account for the delay in the defection of Senate President Bukola Saraki and Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State.

    Saraki has spent the last 72 hours to reach out to PDP leaders in the state who are opposed to his return to the party, especially the plan to hand over the party structure to his group.

    Many of such PDP leaders are said to have now backed down on their threat not to accept him back into their fold.

    Investigation revealed that the main challenges facing the PDP borders on party structure in the affected states and power sharing formula ahead of next year’s polls.

    A highly placed source confirmed tomorrow’s meeting, saying: “the PDP leadership has mandated Imoke Committee to resolve the grey areas between defectors and old party members in order to put the party in good stead ahead of primaries.

    “The committee has invited stakeholders in some strategic states like Kwara, Kano, Sokoto, Benue and others for a meeting on Monday.

    “At the session the committee might broker agreement between the key defectors and old members of the party.

    “The major fear is how to create a sense of belonging for all. The party does not want the defections to lead to more complicated problems.

    “The terms offered some defectors had not helped matters. For instance, the PDP agreed to concede the right of first refusal to any incumbent governor defecting from APC to seek re-election.”

    The case of Benue State, according to a party source, is particularly complex.

    “We have a serious case at hand in Benue State where ex-Governor Gabriel Suswam has been sustaining PDP over the last three years,” the source said.

    “But the way the  PDP national secretariat is managing the defection of Governor Samuel Ortom and Senator Barnabas Gemade might lead to Suswam losing out.

    “While the PDP leadership has decided to cede the governorship ticket to Ortom despite protests, Suswam loyalists were shocked that the party is contemplating giving the Benue Northeast Senatorial ticket to Gemade who defeated the ex-governor for the same seat in 2015.

    “We do not know how the party will appease Suswam, who is a key member of the Imoke Committee. The alternative for Suswam is to either defect to APC or engage in sabotage in 2019 if he is politically stripped naked.

    “Having been a long-time associate of the Saraki dynasty, there is suspicion that the Senate President may have negotiated for Gemade.”

    A similar situation is playing out in Gombe State  where Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo is said to be deeply interested in picking his successor.

    His decision is unlikely to go in favour of a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Senator Bayero Nafada who is interested in the governorship seat.

    “All that Nafada has wanted since 2015 is the governorship ticket,” a source said.

    But the governor is said not to be sure of Nafada’s loyalty post 2019 and is therefore not comfortable supporting his aspiration.

    The source added:”the worst case scenario for Nafada is to return to the Senate which might put paid to his dream of governing the state.

    “Also, a former Minister of Transport, Idris Umar, who left PDP for APC in 2016 has been holding talks to return to PDP. But stakeholders, especially the governor, who are suspecting that he is returning to the party for the governorship ticket have vowed to resist his defection.”

    Atiku, Nyako want different candidates for Adamawa governorship race

    Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and ex-Adamawa State Governor Murtala Nyako are not on the same page on who should fly   PDP’s governorship flag in the state.

    While Nyako  is tipping his senator son, Abdulaziz, Atiku is believed to prefer either Governor Jibrilla Bindow or “any other core loyalist in the mould of ex-Governor Boni Haruna who stood by him between 2003 and 2007 when he had conflict with ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo.”

    On Kogi State, the source said: “it is apparent that our party might go back to our winning formula of producing the governorship candidate from Kogi East and deputy governor from Kogi West. Short-changing Kogi Central (the Ebira) might create an image crisis for PDP.

    “While some of our leaders have opted for an automatic ticket for Senator Dino Melaye in Kogi West others said it might be a violation of the power rotation formula in the district.

    “If Melaye gets the ticket, the Ijumu-Gbede axis will be occupying the seat for 16 years in a row.

    “The last time Lokoja-Kotonkarfe-Oworo axis occupied the seat was between 1999 and 2007 when Sen. Tunde Ogbeha was their representative.

    “Melaye became Senator with the huge votes from Lokoja-Kotonkarfe-Oworo axis.

    “The emergence of a member of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Yusuf as a senatorial aspirant has added more problem for the Imoke Committee because the Representative is more acceptable to the people of Kogi West than Melaye. The alternative is to allow Yusuf to go for a third term in the House.”

    PDP concedes Kwara structure to Saraki

    A member of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP said the party leadership has agreed to hand over the party structure, senatorial ticket and senate presidency to Saraki.

    He will also decide those to fly PDP’s flag for the governorship and House of Representatives elections.

    The source said: “the old leaders of the party are however tasking the PDP secretariat on what is on the table for them.

    “It is unknown what will be the fate of stalwarts like former Minister of National Planning, Prof. Abubakar Olanrewaju Sulaiman, ex-Minister of Transport, Ibrahim Bio, Senator Simeon Ajibola (the party’s governorship candidate in 2015); the state chairman of PDP, Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo; a former Vice Chancellor of UNILORIN, Prof. Abdulraheem Oba; Yinka Aluko and others.

    “A safe option being explored by the party is for Saraki to reach out to these PDP stalwarts and open up negotiation with them. In the last 72 hours, the Senate President has opened talks on how to co-exist with old PDP members.

    “The under-the-table discussion may  have informed the delay by Saraki and Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed in announcing their defection.”

    No meeting point yet for Kwankwaso, Shekarau, Wali, Gorozo

    Kano State also looks like a hard nut to crack with no meeting point yet in sight for Senator Rabiu Kwankwanso who is returning to the PDP, and ex-Governor Ibrahim Shekarau, ex-Minister Aminu Wali and Senator Hayatu Gorozo.

    “Kwankwaso is demanding 60 per cent of the party’s structure which means his group will produce the governor and other key positions. He also said he will finance the party during the 2019 poll,” a source said.

    “Therefore, he is leaving the 40 per cent to the three other leaders (Shekarau, Wali, and Gorozo) to share. The three leaders have said a guest cannot dictate to the landlord.”

    A source in Shekarau’s camp said: “To compound the challenge in Kano, Kwankwaso is yet to sit down with PDP leaders to discuss on mutual options.”

    Dogara gets concession to return as Speaker, wants to install next gov of Bauchi

    House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara, according to sources, has been given the concession by the PDP to seek re-election in Bauchi State and return as Speaker.

    “But Dogara is not stopping at this concession, he appears interested in installing the next governor of the state with strong backing for a former majority leader of the House of Representatives, Abdul Ningi as against a former Minister of the FCT, Sen. Bala Mohammed, who has been sustaining the party,” one of our sources said.

    Mohammed, the source added felt “his probe by the House of Representatives, despite entreaties to Dogara, was a ploy to destroy his political career.

    “Also, the party might favour Senators Misau and Nasif with automatic return tickets although  the PDP will be taking a great risk in view of recent revolts against their performance by their constituents.”

    On Sokoto State, sources said Governor Aminu Tambuwal will be doing battle with a former Deputy Governor, Mukhtar Shagari who has declared his interest in the 2019 governorship race.

    The source said: “Shagari and his loyalists cannot go far. This is more so due to the alliance between Tambuwal and ex-Governor Attahiru Bafarawa against ex-Governor Aliyu Wammako. The headache of PDP is how to rehabilitate Shagari, who has been a consistent PDP member in Sokoto.

    “Concerning Imo State, PDP might adopt a 50-50 power sharing formula between its old members and anticipated  defectors from APC  like the embattled Deputy Governor, Eze Madumere, Senator  Ifeanyi Ararume, a former National Organizing Secretary of APC, Sen. Osita Izunaso and other heavyweights.

    “But the original PDP members prefer a 70-30 power sharing ratio. And if Ararume defects to PDP, he would have foreclosed his governorship ambition. As it is now, a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha is the aspirant to beat and he has a firm grip on the party structure in the state.”

     

  • Court stops Ortom from dissolving Local Government councils in Benue

    A Makurdi High Court presided over by Justice S. O Itodo  has granted an interim injunction  restraining Governor Samuel Ortom from dissolving Local Government Councils in Benue state .

    Ruling on a Motion ex – parte brought by counsel to Chairmen of local government councils  Barrister  F. A .Nomor ,Esq in the state, Justice Itodo said ” after careful and detailed consideration of the issues contained in Motion Ex Parte,the application is granted as prayed.”

    The Judge also restrained the governor from making any proclamation that is capable of preventing local government chairmen, who are applicants in the matter from their peaceful enjoyment of two (2) year tenure of their respective councils .

    Justice Itodo also restrained the governor and any of his agents from stopping the statutory allocations of the local government councils pending the the hearing of the motion on notice which is slated for hearing on July 23.

  • Benue APC publicity secretary resigns

    The Publicity Secretary of the APC in Benue, Mr Agbo Terkula, has resigned both his membership of the party and the position he occupied.

    In a letter of resignation, dated Wednesday, July, 2018, addressed to the state chairman of the party, Terkula claimed the APC controlled federal government did not represent the interests and yearnings of the people of the state.

    ” The APC which controls the government at the centre does not represent the yearnings and aspirations of the people of Benue state.”

    He regretted the unprovoked killings of rural farmers by herdsmen and the displacement of farmlands and the plight of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP’s) in the state.

    He added that some of the reckless comments by top political appointees of the federal government had exacerbated the killings.

    He claimed overtures had been made to him not to resign his membership of the party but stated that to remain in the party would amount to “trading his life and conscience and the future of the state”.

    The former Publicity Secretary, however, thanked the APC leader in the state, Sen. George Akume, for giving him the opportunity to serve the party. (NAN)

  • Benue has not known peace since January, says Ortom

    Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has said the state has not known peace since January.

    According to him, the people have not known peace due to the activities of militia herdsmen.

    The governor spoke yesterday at a cocktail party organised to honour delegates and stakeholders attending the Middle Belt Forum (MBF) Rally and Conference holding in Makurdi, the capital.

    Ortom, who lamented the continued killing and displacement of thousands from their ancestral homes by herdsmen, said he would continue to speak out and stand with his people until justice is ensured.

    He lauded the Federal Government for its renewed efforts in curtailing the attacks through operation Whirl Stroke, stressing that if the operation had started earlier, Benue wouldn’t have been where it is today.

    The governor also thanked his Taraba State counterpart, Darius Ishaku, and the Middle Belt Forum (MBF), for standing with Benue in her trying times, saying he was strengthened by their actions.

    Ishaku said he Ortom passed through the eye of a needle to become governor and were further bonded together by the similar challenges they were facing.

    He said Nigeria’s constitution is defective because it has rendered governors incapacitated and ‘toothless maimed dogs’ by making them Chief Security Officers who cannot command the security architecture in their states.

    Ishaku, who called for the restructuring of Nigeria, said there is something more than herdsmen behind the killings in the country, adding that if the Federal Government had wanted to solve the problem, it would take less than two months to achieve that.

    National President of the MBF Bitrus Poga urged Benue people to be proud of Ortom, saying it takes courage to do what the governor was doing.

    According to him, the governor’s bravery was equal to none and should be encouraged to continue to speak for the less privileged in the country.