A political forum from the North Central part of the country has expressed concern over alleged ongoing political romance between the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, George Akume, and immediate past governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom.
The forum, operating under the aegis of North-Central APC Forum, said it was convinced that the political romance was targeted at Benue State governor, Hyacinth Alia, whom it noted, had fragile relationship with the SGF.
While noting that the latest relationship between the former Benue governors, if left unchecked, could cause political harm for the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, not only in the state but also North Central in general, the group appealed to President Bola Tinubu to wade into the matter.
The group in a statement issued through its Chairman, Saleh Zazzaga, yesterday, expressed concern that Ortom who had fallen apart with Akume before now, had suddenly become the SGF’s political friend.
It said the development signalled a fresh alliance between Akume and Ortom against the sitting governor, Hyacinth Alia.
“Akume has been engaged in a faceoff with Alia over the control of the party in Benue, while Ortom’s administration is being probed by Alia’s government.
“However, there are indications that the two former Benue governors have formed an alliance against Alia, “he Forum said.
It recalled that Ortom, who left the APC for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, during his tenure as governor, was among the dignitaries at a thanksgiving event held at Konshisha Local Government Area of Benue State over the weekend to honour the SGF.
The event was also organized to celebrate the 50th birthday of one of Akume’s major loyalists, Dr. Matthias Byuan, an Executive Director at the Federal Housing Authority, FHA.
Reacting to the development, the North-Central APC Forum said it was concerned that the SGF was hobnobbing with a leader of the opposition in Benue State in the person of former Governor Ortom.
“It is alarming that the SGF has entered an alliance with opposition leaders to fight the APC government in Benue,” it added.
While urging Tinubu to watch the SGF, the Forum warned that the alliance between Akume and Ortom against Alia could destabilize the APC in the North-Central.
It stated further: :”The North-Central APC Forum has observed with alarm, the alliance and gang up between the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator George Akume, and Samuel Ortom, the immediate past governor, against Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State.
“ Ortom, a leader of the opposition in Benue, whose administration is still under probe by the Governor Alia-led APC government, has now joined forces with Senator Akume, the SGF, to fight the APC government in Benue State.
“This unholy alliance was showcased at the thanksgiving program organized in honour of the SGF, Senator Akume, at Konshisha Local Government Area of Benue State during the weekend.
‘’ 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 leaves us without any doubt that the SGF, Senator Akume, has ganged up with him to fight the APC governor in Benue State.
“The North-Central APC Forum is asking President Bola Tinubu to watch the SGF, as his alliance with opposition leaders such as Ortom can destabilize the APC in not only Benue but the entire North-Central.”
Alia’s Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, had in a statement, criticised Ortom’s presence at the event, accusing him of poor leadership during his tenure as governor from 2015 to 2023.
On his part, Ortom, through his spokesman, Terver Akase, accused the Alia administration of receiving higher federal allocations without matching the expectations of citizens in addressing security and developmental challenges
