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From Abel Leonard, Lafia
The Global Alliance for Peace and Unity, an NGO, has called on former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, to issue an unreserved apology to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume. Failure to apologise may result in a massive protest, the group warns.
The call for an apology comes after Chief Audu Ogbeh, along with other Idoma sons, held a press conference demanding the removal of Senator George Akume as SGF. The demand was based on Akume’s nomination of Prof Joseph Utsev, a Tiv man, as a minister from Benue State.
Mr Solomon Pevkyaa, the National President of the Global Alliance for Peace and Unity, expressed disappointment and described Audu Ogbeh’s action as unfortunate during a recent world press conference in Lafia on Tuesday.
According to Pevkyaa, Audu Ogbeh’s call for Akume’s removal suggests a lack of respect for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the APC, as Akume had supported Ogbeh’s rise to PDP national chairman against Chief Bananas Gemade’s second-term bid, without any opposition from the Tiv community.
The group also pointed out that “when David Mark, an Idoma man, was Senate President, he influenced the appointment of Senator Patrick Abba Moro as minister without facing any objections from the Tiv community, including Senator Akume.”
The Global Alliance for Peace and Unity emphasised that Akume played a pivotal role in the formation and success of APC in Benue State during the 2015 elections, and Audu Ogbeh was appointed as a minister with Akume’s full support.
Pevkyaa challenged Audu Ogbeh to publicly apologise to Akume immediately or risk facing a massive protest organised by the organisation. He highlighted that “Ogbeh’s actions undermine President Tinubu’s leadership and that nominating a Tiv man to serve in Tinubu’s cabinet is a reward for the massive votes the President received from the Tiv people.”
The group further stressed that Audu Ogbeh should focus on assisting President Tinubu in resolving the challenges arising from the removal of fuel subsidy, rather than engaging in divisive and ethnic issues that hinder progress.
The Global Alliance for Peace and Unity expressed that President Tinubu’s appointment of a Benue son as SGF aims to stabilise the politics of northern Nigeria, and they expect Audu Ogbeh, as a statesman, to support Akume in addressing Nigeria’s numerous challenges.
