The cold war between the Benue State Governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, has assumed a new and dangerous dimension.
This was even as the local government chairmen of the party in all the 23 local government areas of the state distanced themselves from the appointment of the council caretaker committee made by the governor.
The party chairmen also accused the governor of abandoning the party and hobnobbing with the opposition party in the state.
Insinuations and innuendoes were rife about the cold war between the two leaders in the build-up to elect the speaker of the House of Assembly.
While the SGF supported one of his former aides, Mrs Becky Orpin, Governor Alia, deployed the state machinery for Aondona Dajoh, who eventually won the speakership.
Despite the frosty relationship, the two leaders had dismissed the issue of rift between them, describing it as the handiwork of political jobbers.
Drama, however, unfolded on Thursday with the communique issued by the 23 local government party chairmen, who expressed worries over the manner the governor had abandoned the party since the assumption of office.
The forum noted, “Instances abound that it could no longer pretend that all is well between Governor Hyacinth Alia and the party both in the state and at the local government area chapters.
The forum of party chairmen frowned on the unilateral decision taken on the constitution of local government caretaker committees by the governor.
They further accused the governor of being “inaccessible and not answering phone calls, non-inclusion of the party’s leadership both at the state and local government levels in making key appointments in his government.”
The forum, however, expressed satisfaction with the leadership of Akume, President Bola Tinubu, and the party leadership at the national and state levels.
