Audu Ogbeh under fire for asking Tinubu to sack Akume as SGF

A non-governmental organization, Global Alliance for Peace and Unity, has expressed disappointment in the former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, over his recent call for the removal of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume.

Ogbeh led a group of stakeholders from the Idoma extraction to a press conference, where they expressed concerns over the inclusion of a Tiv man, Prof Joseph Utsev, as the ministerial nominee from Benue State.

At the press conference, Ogbeh called for Akume’s removal, stating that the appointment further marginalized the Idoma people in the scheme of things in Benue State.

However, the national president of the Global Alliance for Peace and Unity, Mr. Solomon Pevkyaa, held a world press conference in Lafia, describing Ogbeh’s action as disappointing and unfortunate.

Pevkyaa criticized Ogbeh for publicly attacking Akume, stating that it was a direct affront on the person and personality of President Bola Tinubu.

He expressed that Ogbeh’s position on the appointment was unfair, especially considering the support Akume had provided him in the past, and urged Ogbeh to refrain from actions that could undermine the peace and unity the state has been enjoying.

Pevkyaa highlighted the support Akume had extended to Ogbeh in the past, including supporting him to become the PDP national chairman against the second term bid of Chief Bananas Gemade, and the appointment of Ogbeh as a minister of Agriculture with Akume’s full support.

He further pointed out that when David Mark, an Idoma man, was Senate President, he influenced the appointment of Senator Patrick Abba Moro as minister, without any opposition from Tiv leaders, including Akume.

Pevkyaa emphasized that Akume had led the entire Tiv people to massively vote for President Tinubu, and nominating a Tiv man to serve in Tinubu’s cabinet was a reward for the massive votes the president received from the Tiv people.

He urged Audu Ogbeh to focus on assisting President Tinubu in resolving the challenges facing Nigeria, rather than getting caught up in ethnic issues that hinder progress.

Pevkyaa concluded that President Tinubu’s leadership offered renewed hope for Nigerians, and appointing a Benue son as SGF was to help stabilize politics in northern Nigeria. He called on leaders like Audu Ogbeh to rally behind Akume in assisting the president in finding lasting solutions to the nation’s challenges.