From Fred Itua, Abuja
The Benue Diaspora Vanguard has urged President Bola Tinubu to do something about the constant depreciation of Naira, explaining that it had reduced the purchasing power of Nigerians, hence, the hardship being experienced in the country.
In a statement by the Coordinator, Dr. Peter Aper, the leaders commended the president for showing resilience and commitment to stabilising the economy.
Aper noted that as a Diaspora movement that contributes to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country, the group found it expedient to bring to the attention of Mr. President, actions of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, as he continued to fight the Governor of Benue State, Fr. Hyacinth Alia.
“It is appalling to see such a supposedly respectable personality in the person of the SGF who occupies a top position in your government to lead a consistent onslaught against his own governor within the same party for reasons that no one knows till date,” part of the statement read.
The group described Akume’s actions as unjustified, negative and retrogressive in all ramifications.
“Mr President, just for an instance, it is important to refer to precedence for making appointments into federal offices in the past administrations where slots due to each state was left to the sole discretion of sitting governors, including the opposition governors.
“It is, therefore, the highest form of injustice and injury to the state if Gov Hyacinth Alia is denied such privilege because of the over-bearing influence of the SGF.
“Mr President, all the Federal Government’s appointments so far from Benue State do not have the imprimatur of the sitting governor, who is by convention, protocol and hierarchy, the leader of the party in the state. This should be corrected to bring stability in the polity, and to preserve the future of the APC in the state.
“We wonder if the SGF is, by this actions, and many others, consciously derailing the party at the grassroots, as this particular incident does not show good intentions for the party and the state, as well as the country at large.
“What becomes of the already existing political structure of Emma Jime, who has held the party’s flag twice in the state? Does the SGF prefer destroying the existing political support base of Mr President to consolidating it?
“Mr President, for your continuous magnanimity, several other appointments have followed from Benue with the governor having no single nominee or input on such appointments, unlike elsewhere, including opposition states as earlier mentioned. Your Excellency, Mr President must come to our rescue if you love the state.
“Going forward Mr President, in order to restore the confidence of Benue people, who voted for you massively, it is important to direct a clear template on nominating appointees from states for federal appointments. The template will eradicate the excessive influence of a few people like Senator Akume, who undeservedly drop your name to strengthen their self-serving schemes.
“Clear authority must be reverted to the governors or the party as Mr. President so directs. This would expand the inputs of governors in appointments and ensure a full sense of belonging. As it stands in the appointments from Benue so far, the SGF is only building himself and household against the collective interest of the state.
“We also appeal to Mr. President, as the leader of the party, to make a statement on the leadership hierarchy of the party in the states with sitting governors. This would restore order and minimise incidents of factionalisation as experienced in most states such as Benue,” he added.
The group further highlighted the transformational strides of the governor in spearheading critical infrastructure, revival of the health sector, education reforms, boost in agriculture, improved staff welfare and improved transparency in the handling of state finances.