Akume under fire over exclusion of Benue from N16 billion ecological funds

A former governor of Benue State and current minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, George Akume, has come under attack following the exclusion of Benue State from the N16 billion ecological funds.

The Zone B Youth Alliance, said the development is a clear indication that Akume does not have Benue State at heart.

Comrade Ternenge Bendega, president of the group, described Akume as an ingrate for putting his interest above that of Benue people that elected him four times as governor and senator.

The statement reads.

Yesterday, we woke up with the news that the Federal Executive Council has approved N16 billion for erosion control in 12 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Curiously, Benue which has one of the worst erosion and flood cases on yearly basis was not included in the funds. Where was the Minister of Special Duties and Inter-governmental affairs, Senator George Akume when the issue of the funds was being discussed in the Federal Executive Council? Was he not in attendance at the meeting (as he often does?) We will return to this issue later in this statement.

Since we saw the news of the ecological funds, we have been wondering in disbelief. Is this the level the Buhari Presidency has taken its hatred on Benue State to? Even if the President is not comfortable with Governor Samuel Ortom’s courage and constant reminders to him to be the President of all Nigerians, he shouldn’t punish the entire people of the state. The funds released to other states and the FCT do not belong to the Buhari family. They are Nigeria’s funds which every part of the country is entitled to. Why was Benue removed from the list of states most affected by ecological issues? Someone has to answer this question.

Now back to Senator George Akume. This is a man who has benefited from Benue State and has been shown love by the people of the state more than any other person since the return of democracy in 1999. Akume was elected by the people as Governor for two terms; later became a Senator representing Benue South West for twelve years and is now Minster representing the state in the Federal Executive Council. Yet, his state was punitively removed from the list of states to benefit from ecological funds and he didn’t utter a word to oppose the decision. How ungrateful can a man be to his home state!

The Zone B part of Benue which Akume represented as Senator includes Makurdi and is the worst hit by flood and erosion. Even if for nothing else, the very fact that the people of the area supported him with their votes on three occasions that he went to the Senate should have appealed to his conscience to argue in their favour at the Federal Executive Council.

Perhaps if he had done so, the people of Benue would have forgiven and forgotten about Akume’s unfortunate accusation he leveled against them before the 2019 elections that they were the ones killing themselves and not armed Fulani herdsmen.

Since the genocide waged by Fulani killer herdsmen on Benue people commenced, Sen George Akume has not raised a voice against it. He has refused to visit any of the Internally displaced persons camps. Benue now has over one million displaced people with more than 200,000 of them staying in camps and the rest living with their relatives in Makurdi, Gboko, Otukpo and other towns of the state. He has also refused to send relief materials to any of the camps. It doesn’t matter to Akume that the same women, young and old people who voted him as Governor and several times as Senator have been displaced from their homes and now have to live in makeshift camps for years. But does he expect them to still be carrying their PVCs about while fleeing from herdsmen so they can vote his party in 2023? What a shameless man!

Instead, Akume, in connivance with President Buhari’s media handlers, has set up a team of attack dogs whose sole responsibility is to change the narrative about anything that comes from Benue and blame the leadership of the state while painting the President in colours of sainthood. They attack Governor Ortom every morning, afternoon and evening. They want the people of the state to turn against their government and accept grazing reserves and cattle routes. They say that Fulani are not the problem; the real problem is Ortom.

We will end by reminding Akume that though he traded his people for a plate of porridge (ministerial appointment) and is now using the same old trick to become the National Chairman of APC, nothing lasts forever! Buhari will not remain President of Nigeria till the end of time. Akume and other traitors will return and meet the same people who elevated him to where he is today in their ruins.