PDP accuses Alhaji Tsav, APC of instigating pensioners protest in Benue

BY: Peter Duru

The Benue state People Democratic Party, PDP, has accused the All Progressives Congress, APC, and retired Police Commissioner, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav of instigating the protest against the State government by a faction of pensioners in the state. PDP and its colour flags State Chairman of the PDP, Sir John Ngbede who made the position of his party known yesterday in Makurdi, said it became evidently clear that the protesters were being sponsored when members of the APC and Alhaji Tsav were sighted distributing food to the protesters and encouraging them to remain at the Government House main entrance. Ngbede said “this government has not neglected our pensioners, the truth is that the issue of backlog did not start today it has been there even before 1999. But this government has paid N18billion and is still paying so why the protest. “If you look at the entire thing you will see the hand of Esau but the voice of Jacob. More disturbing is the appearance of Alhaji Abubakar Tsav and other APC members at the scene of the protest. Also read: NBM condemns xenophobic attacks in South Africa, counts economic effect “Strangely we had issues of herdsmen killings in Benue state Alhaji Tsav never said anything but in this protest he showed up. We suspect that there is more to this protest than meet the eyes. So we are accusing him of sponsoring the protest. “We also acknowledged the involvement of APC members in this whole thing. They are doing everything to run down our government including using retirees and the elderly. We totally condemn their action and assure the pensioners that the government is doing everything to regularly pay them. “They all need to be patient because the Pension Commission which has retirees as members will in no distant time tackle the challenge of pension in the state and everyone will be happier for it. Reacting, Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mr James Orngiga said, “there is no truth in that assertion, it is just diversionary. How much can you pay somebody for that? They should pay the retirees to stop the protest so that we will not be seen as the sponsors.” Vanguard