Leaked audio with Ortom: Group backs Akume, says his anger justified 

E: ZONE “A” PEOPLE’S ASSEMBLY DECRIES SEN. AKUME’S INCESSANT ATTACKS AND PULLING DOWN OF ZONE A LEADERS

We have read the text of a lame press conference organized by Zone “A” People’s Assembly (ZAPA) wherein they hurled invectives on the Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Senator Dr. George Akume, accusing him of a deliberate plot to pull down all aspiring leaders of Benue North East Senatorial District (Zone A).

2. The originators of the press statement based their concerns on a leaked audio telephone conversation between Senator Akume and Governor Samuel Ortom early 2020 with all contentious issues in the conversation resolved long before now.

3. It is not clear to us why ZAPA has chosen to flog a dead horse and reawaken issues that the Tor Tiv, His Royal Majesty, Prof. James Iorzua Ayatse and all Zone A leaders have already put behind them long ago.

4. Suspecting that the group may have rather been sponsored to distract Senator Dr George Akume, whom the group had acknowledged as not just the political leader of Benue, North Central Nigeria but a political father and a serving Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Benue Concerned Citizens for Development, a group with the mandate of correcting today’s ills for a better Benue feels the urgent need to address some of the petty allegations ZAPA has captured in their press statement.

5. ZAPA in opening their streams of accusations, alleged that the removal of Senator Chief Barnabas Gemade as then PDP National Chairman was sponsored by Senator Akume when he held sway as the Executive Governor of Benue State.

6. This allegation is completely unfounded as Senator Akume was rather a major contributor to Gemade’s emergence as PDP National Chairman until the Presidency at that time wanted Senator Gemade removed based on the politics of the time. Even at that, Senator Gemade later built a cordial political relationship with Senator Akume which resulted in the re-election of Sen. Gemade in 2015 under the platform of the APC. They are currently working together to build a stronger APC against the 2023 elections.

7. To our consternation, ZAPA ignorantly blamed the removal of former Comptroller General of Prisons, Abraham Akpesue and Chief Medical Director of Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi, Prof. Terna Yawe on Senator Akume. The facts on ground however reveal that CG Abraham Akpesue had to retire from the Prisons Service after he attained the mandatory service years while Prof. Yawe had served his first term and wanted a re-appointment. It is not in any sitting governor’s powers to force the reappointment of federal government appointee from his state.

8. As a founding member of APC and the party’s leader in Benue State, Senator Akume has worked assiduously in developing other leaders of the party without discrimination. Accusing him of frustrating APC leaders from Zone A out of the party is an uncharitable accusation against a man who has given his all to the party and does not forget his own people.

9. While we try as much as possible to avoid arguments on issues that emanate from the leaked audio clip as that was purely a private conversation between Senator Akume and Governor Samuel Ortom, we wish to state that as a human, the Honourable Minister had suffered provocative injustice at that time and his anger was justified. However, all of that is in the past now as he has already built synergy with the Tor Tiv, Governor Samuel Ortom and Senator Gabriel Suswam for the good of Benue State.

10. It is a celebrated fact that both Governor Samuel Ortom and Senator Gabriel Suswam are political scions of Senator Dr. George Akume who played a major role in their emergence as Governors. If the duo feel offended by Senator Akume’s comments in the said telephone conversation, they would need no group to speak for them.

11. In every fairness, Senator Akume is a detribalised leader who treats people equally without sentiments or primordial consideration and this accounts for why during his stewardship in Benue, out of the 153 appointments he either made directly or facilitated, 63 were from Zone A, a number far higher than Zone B where he comes from.

12. It was during his tenure as governor that Zone A controlled both the Legislative arm of government and the Judiciary. Let ZAPA be reminded that Hon. Mrs Margaret Icheen, (the first female Speaker in Africa) and later, Hon. Mzenda Iho were Speakers of the Benue State House of Assembly while Justice Terna Ufefa Puusu was the Chief Judge of Benue State as well as Mrs. Margaret Gom, a Commissioner with Federal Character Commission from same Zone A. It was also during the Akume administration that both Chief Abu King Shuluwa and Pastor Terngu Shawon were nominated and appointed Federal Commissioner, Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission and State Director, National Orientation Agency respectively.

13. Lest we forget that as a Governor and Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, Governor Akume (as he then was) along with other leaders in the North, truncated the evil and third term agenda of President Olusegun Obansanjo, though he stood to benefit from the Third Term agenda. In saner climes, Sen. Akume would be regarded as one of the fathers of modern democracy in Nigeria.

14. As a Leader in Benue State, Senator Akume has been very instrumental to the resolution of the Shitile and Ukum crisis in Katsina-Ala and Ukum local government areas of Zone A in the state. This was at the time when prominent leaders and sons of Sankera had no guts to attempt a reconciliation of the warring communities. The Senator’s visit at a thanksgiving service in Gbishe and Kundav brought relative peace to the area.

15. Sen. Akume’s performance as a Senator of the Federal Republic was remarkable. He rose to become the Senate Minority Leader in 2011 and was the highest political office holder of the opposition party when the APC was formed in 2014. In addition, he facilitated through constituency projects, the establishment of skills acquisition centres in all the local governments in Zone B. He is also responsible for several water schemes, ICT centres, health facilities and more in his Senatorial District.

16. To further prove that ZAPA is out to malign the leader, including a futile attempt to disparage his present office as the only Benue person in President Buhari’s cabinet, ZAPA has been blinded from seeing the lofty initiatives that the Honourable Minister has introduced in the Special Duties Ministry, making him a pacesetter.

17. As a Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Sen. Akume’s roles and responsibilities are basically to Coordinate Multi-Agency and Inter-Ministerial functions as designated by the President as well as develop and implement policies, programmes and projects towards improvement of intergovernmental relations at the state and local government levels amongst others. This makes his ministry a service ministry whose functions may not always be obvious to all. However, the minister in collaboration with other line ministries is working towards the establishment of one small and medium scale industry based on product corridors across the 774 local government areas in Nigeria. This effort amongst others is aimed at actualising President Muhammdu Buhari’s June 12, 2019 pronouncement of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years.

18. Also, in line with the directive of Mr. President for revenue generating agencies to step up their revenue drive and to ensure transparency in the lottery industry, the Ministry has ensured the establishment of a Central Monitoring System (CMS) to enhance revenue generation activities of the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC).

19. The ministry in conjunction with the EFCC and relevant agencies is on a recovery drive of money owed the federal government by Lottery Operators in the country. So far, over N5billion has been recovered and paid into the National Treasury.

20. As the Minister supervising the National Lottery Trust Fund (NLTF), an agency responsible for carrying out good causes projects from lottery proceeds, the Fund has embarked on several projects in the health sector, water and sanitation and several others. The Trust Fund has achieved more under Akume than at any other time in the existence of the Fund.

21. The Ministry has also concluded plans with the National Lottery Regulatory Commission to launch the Nigeria National Games (to replace the Ghana Games operated illegally in Nigeria) by the first quarter of 2021. This is a huge revenue generation potential for the Federal Government of Nigeria.

22. Also, the Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs is working with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, the Cooperatives Federation of Nigeria and other stakeholders to provide 2,000 buses to Cooperative Societies in Nigeria for poverty alleviation.

23. There are also so many other programs and projects in the pipeline for execution by the Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs for the benefit of Nigerians in the 2021 budget recently signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari.

24. At this critical juncture, Benue State and Nigeria need peace for development purposes. It is therefore imperative for our leaders in Benue State and their followers to close ranks and work towards attaining the peace and development of Benue State and the rest of the country, Nigeria. No development can take place in an atmosphere of chaos. ZAPA should understand that when brothers fight themselves to death, a stranger will inherit their father’s estate. Hence they should seek peace rather than fanning the embers of disunity amongst our leaders in the state.

25. In conclusion, Senator Akume as a Knight of St. John’s International believes in the founding principles of the order which are FAITH, HOPE & CHARITY. Charity is the perfection of every Christian virtue and Senator Akume is both very charitable and fair minded to all mankind. This attribute has endeared him to the good people of Benue State and Nigeria at large.

Signed for and on behalf of Benue Concerned Citizens for Development

Rt. Hon. Stephen Tsav, Ph.D – Chairman

Former Honourable Speaker

Benue State House of Assembly.

Pastor Terngu Shawon

Former DG Ortom/Abounu Campaign Organization 2019 and former Chairman, Benue Investment and Property Company Ltd.

Hon. Barr. John Adam Okloho

Former Member Benue State House of Assembly.

Hon. Martins Agir

Former Chairman, Katsina-Ala LGC.

Hon. James Tor

Former Chairman, PDP Gboko LGA

Barr. Prince Jacob Obande Ajene – Secretary