From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
The Majority Leader of Benue State House of Assembly, Hon. Saater Tiseer, has confirmed the division in the House.
Tiseer made this clarification while fielding questions from newsmen on the insinuations that the Benue state House of Assembly is divided along loyalist of the Secretary to Government of the Federation, (SGF), and the Benue state Governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia.
Tiseer who who recalled how it all began said the division of the house started during the election of the speaker of the house in which Hon. Aondona Dajoh emerged winner.
He said, “The house is divided but I do not know whether it is between Akume and the Governor. It is divided because there was a contest on who should be the Speaker and one person emerged that had 17 votes and the other 15 votes.
“The 17 votes of the speaker were cut across APC and PDP, it was an alliance. Out of the 15 votes, 14 is APC one is Labour Party. So out of the APC sometimes they felt disgruntled but nobody is been victimized. They feel that we have collaborated with the PDP to form leadership and that is why there is tension in the house.
“For those supporting the Speaker, we believe if he gets the right support and supports the Governor, the state will move forward”, Saater said.
Asked about the rumour that those who were against the speaker were not considered for official vehicle recently procured by the house, Tiseer acknowledged that the Governor purchase 17 vehicles and they were given to those who support the Governor
“That is true we were suppose to be given vehicles, we are 31 because one of us Dr. Ortese was taken and appointed Commissioner for Health. By what is suppose to happen is the leaders of the house were suppose to get more than one. We are suppose to get two and the Speaker two and other Security vehicles.
“The Governor has ordered for 32 and the contractor was able to bring 17. By last week, the Governor attempted to terminate the contract and asked us to go to the banks to get vehicles.
“But since the contractor assured the Governor that he will get them this week and so he asked us to go and share them. When you are looking at how best to share the vehicles, you are looking at your support and how you can manage the crisis that will come up.
“So the support base of the House is 17, naturally even you, will service the 17. That is exactly what we did, we did not do it in secret. We are engaging and extending a hand of fellowship to the aggrieved group but you can’t allow someone to come and kill you like a chicken, you have to fight back to maintain peace and that is what we are doing and will continue to do until there is a lasting solution.
“It is difficult to manage a few people but we are doing it and that is why the government is still running”, Tiseer said.