Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has accused National Assembly members from Gwer/Gwer Federal Constituency of Benue of opposing his development plan for the benefit of the state.
Alia made the accusation during his thank-you tour to the Gwer people at the weekend.
He spoke at the event which held at St. Francis Primary School Aliade in Gwer East Local Government Area.
Although the governor did not mention any name,, our correspondent reports that Senator Titus Zam of Benue Northwest and Arc. Asema Achado, a member of the House of Representatives for Gwer East/Gwer West Federal Constituency are the two national parliamentarians from the area.
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The duo have been strong supporters of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, ever since love lost between the later and the governor over an alleged control of the now fractured All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
Alia had during his outing in Aliade noted that National Assembly members within the constituency were opposed to his developmental plans but reassured that they would not hinder progress.
Also speaking at the event, Senator Barnabas Gemade, Chairman of the Benue APC Elders Forum, praised Governor Alia’s leadership and called for statewide support to foster peace and success, stressing that over 120 elders across the state back the Governor in fulfilling his campaign promises.
In the same vein, Mrs. Comfort Agbo, Caretaker Chairman of Gwer East LGA, echoed the community’s pride in Alia’s achievements and appealed for forgiveness for the National Assembly members’ actions against the Governor.
However in a swift response, the representative member for the Gwer people, Arc. Asema Achado, said the governor was twisting facts to curry political favour by his “deliberate misinformation and falsehood.”
Achado in a statement by Mendah Manasseh, his Personal Assistant noted, “We listened with disbelief and disappointment, the utterances of Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia during his visit to Gwer which took place in Aliade where he leveled all manner of unfounded claims and accusations against Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator George Akume and National Assembly members from Benue State, particularly the Honourable Member of the House of Representatives for Gwer East/Gwer West Federal Constituency, Arc (Dr) Asema Achado.
“While we are not surprised at Governor Alia’s deliberate misinformation and falsehood since it seems to be his penchant having previously accused the people of Gwer of being cattle rustlers, we however wonder why a man who was ordained as a priest constantly twists facts to score cheap political points.
“The people of Gwer East/Gwer West were expecting to hear Governor Alia list his achievements in the Federal Constituency within the last one year in office, but he could not point at just a single culvert which his government has constructed in the area.
“Achado is a development-minded leader who has supported governors of the state to succeed so as to draw projects to his people. In his personal capacity, he has over the years provided numerous projects for the people of Gwer and is doing more now that his people have sent him to represent them at the National Assembly. Achado couldn’t have therefore discouraged Governor Alia from constructing an underpass at the headquarters of Gwer.
“Achado challenges Governor Alia to name only one project that he has commenced or completed in Gwer East/Gwer West in the past one year. The federal lawmaker advises Governor Alia to stop using Senator George Akume and National Assembly members from Benue State as scapegoats for his unfulfilled campaign promises.”
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