‘Watch Akume’s alliance with Ortom’ – North-Central APC Forum tells Tinubu

The North-Central All Progressives Congress (APC) Forum has urged President Bola Tinubu to keep a close watch on Senator George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), over his alleged alliance with opposition politicians aimed at destabilizing the APC in the North-Central zone.

In a statement released on Monday, the Forum’s Chairman, Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, expressed concern about reports of a growing alliance between Akume and Samuel Ortom, the immediate past governor of Benue State, against the sitting Governor of Benue, Reverend Hyacinth Alia.

The statement highlighted a lingering conflict between Akume and Alia over the control of the APC in Benue. Meanwhile, Alia’s government has launched probes into Ortom’s administration. Despite this, there are signs that both former governors have joined forces against Alia.

Ortom, who defected from the APC to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during his tenure as governor, was among the dignitaries at a thanksgiving event held in Konshisha Local Government Area of Benue State over the weekend. The event, which honored the SGF, also celebrated the 50th birthday of Dr. Matthias Byuan, an Executive Director at the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) and a key loyalist of Akume.

Governor Alia’s Chief Press Secretary, Sir Tersoo Kula, criticized Ortom’s presence at the event, accusing the former governor of poor leadership during his time in office from 2015 to 2023. In response, Ortom’s spokesperson, Terver Akase, accused the Alia administration of failing to address security and developmental challenges despite receiving higher federal allocations.

Reacting to these developments, the North-Central APC Forum condemned Akume’s association with Ortom. The Forum described the alliance as detrimental to the APC’s stability in Benue and the broader North-Central region.

“The North-Central APC Forum has observed with alarm the alliance and gang-up between the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, and Chief Samuel Ortom, the immediate past governor, against Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State,” the statement read.

“Chief Ortom, a leader of the opposition in Benue whose administration is under probe by the Governor Alia-led APC government, has now joined forces with Senator Akume to fight the APC government in Benue State.

“This unholy alliance was showcased at the thanksgiving program organized in honor of the SGF, Senator Akume, at Konshisha Local Government Area of Benue State during the weekend.

“Chief Ortom’s prominent role at the event should be a cause for concern for any APC stakeholder, and the attacks he hurled at Governor Alia following the event leave us with no doubt that the SGF has ganged up with him to fight the APC governor in Benue State.”