A former senator who represented Adamawa South in the 8th National Assembly, Ahmad MoAllahyidi, has berated former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh, for demanding the removal of the Secretary to Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume.
Ogbeh had led some stakeholders of Idoma extraction to a press conference on Tuesday, August 1, where they expressed concerns over the inclusion of a Tiv indigene, Prof Joseph Utsev, as a ministerial nominee from Benue State.
Addressing the newsmen, Ogbeh called for Akume’s removal, stating that his alleged influence in the choice of Utsev was clear proof of the marginalisation Idoma people have been subjected to in the state.
Reacting in a statement issued on Saturday, MoAllahyidi described Ogbeh’s action as disappointing and unfortunate.
The convener of Arewa New Agenda further expressed concerns that the action of Ogbeh has led to a chain of reactions where some faceless groups have started carrying out campaigns of calumny against the SGF.
He said, “Of particular interest to us at this point in time is the utterances of our own very respected elder statesman Chief Audu Ogbe, calling for the sack of the secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume. It would have been okay and taken as their democratic right to voice opinion and canvas for positions if Chief Ogbe and his co-agitators had stopped at that.
“But they went ahead to allege that the development is the handiwork of the SGF to spite the Idoma race and called for his sack. This is where ANA finds it strange, and wishes to intervene by setting the record straight to avoid sending the wrong message to the Nigerian people.
“The appointment of Akume as SGF by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the early days of setting up the governance machinery of his administration received wide acceptance across the length and breadth of the country especially amongst the different strata of political and social circles as it provided the balancing needed for political stability after the keenly contested 2023 presidential election.”
Speaking further, MoAllahyidi praised Akume as a “stabilising rod” in the nation’s political space, adding that the SGF doesn’t represent the North-Central geopolitical zone, and not just the state.
He stated, “Sen. Akume’s appointment is for the North-Central geopolitical zone and properly located among the northern Christian bloc for socio-political expediency. An appointment that holds so much for the stability of the Nigerian nation must not be reduced to a Benue State local political fight. He represents northern Nigeria in President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet. More than that, he is an essential political stabilising rod maintaining balance in the Nigerian political equation.
“We are unhappy that Chief Ogbe’s stance on Akume’s appointment has exposed him to uncomplimentary comments by those who would otherwise not have had such an opportunity. Those not qualified to join issues with him now take turns in berating him.”
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