“No one will disappear with the APC’s mandate again,” – Akume

By Hannah Nathan, Warri

Sen. George Akume, the leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), has issued a warning, saying that the party will no longer tolerate any kind of member insubordination.

During the APC’s second stakeholders meeting, which took place over the weekend in the New Banquet Hall of Government House, Makurdi, Akume issued the warning.

He addressed the audience against the backdrop of the recent governor, Samuel Ortom, who defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following some intractable disagreements with APC leaders in the state. Ortom was elected on the party platform.

Reported rift between Governor Hyacinth Alia and Akume was denied by the APC elder Çhief Simon Shango, who represented Akume.

Sango stated that rumors of a rift between the governor and the SGF are the product of petty trolls, as the two have a friendly and bipartisan working relationship.

He said there was no reason for enmity between them because Akume fully supports Alia’s administration.

Sango said that because he comes from a non-political background, he can relate to Alia’s predicament.

“Amen is all that is required in the church, but he wants the governor to understand our predicament and that, as politicians, we may be nervous and may not wait for Amen but instead incite conflict and agitation.

He said, “This is to say that we will be meeting at the center and that no one will leave with our mandate again.”

He stressed that since the APC is now in power at both levels, the circumstances that led to Benue State’s eight-year status as a federal orphan should not recur.