Benue APC, PDP Bicker over Akume’s Alleged Exoneration of Herdsmen from Killings

George Okoh

The two major political parties in Benue State, All Progressive Congress (APC) and People Democratic Party (PDP,) are at logger head over a statement credited to the Minister of Special Duties and Governmental Affair, Senator George Akume, that Fulani herdsmen are not behind the killings in the state while also alleging that the state anti-open grazing law is the direct cause of conflict between herders and farmers.

The state PDP fired the first salvo in a statement issued by its state Publicity Secretary, Mr. Bemgba Iortyom, declaring that the senator’s statement is a disgraceful remark.

The party said absolving Fulani herdsmen of guilt in killings of farmers in Benue State, and also describing those in support of the ban on open grazing as “out of their minds,” was sad.

The minister in recorded video yesterday at a wedding at NKST Central Church, Wannune in Tarka Local Government Area of the state was alleged to have condemned the promulgation of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law, labelling it an agenda to chase the Fulani people away from the state.

The party wondered that when did Akume discover that the anti-open grazing law was not a good policy.

The statement said: “Was he not part of the process that produced the law? Was he not part of the stakeholders’ meeting where the state Governor, Samuel Ortom, signed the law? Did he not commend the governor on that occasion for taking a bold step that could end the attacks on the Benue people? If he knew that the law won’t work, why did he not say so then? Or is it when he became minister that he suddenly realised the law is bad?

“Benue State PDP observes that it was heard in the video recording as Akume asked the Benue people to make ‘boki’ (friend) with the Fulani. He said Fulani are the best boki for Benue people. He went on to list the things that a Fulani President, Muhammadu Buhari, has done for the Benue people, such as making him a minister; giving appointments as university chancellors to Tor Tiv and Och’Idoma as well as federal board appointments made to some APC members in the state among others.”

The state PDP regretted that the minister pro-Fulani advocate’s utterances have continued to fuel the suspicion that he is the one encouraging Fulani herders to disobey the anti-open grazing law, and continue with destruction of farmlands and other property of the Benue people.

In its response to the allegation made by the PDP, the APC, through its acting state Publicity Secretary, Mr. James Unguga, said it has come to a shocking notice that the state PDP its grasping at straws and has reintroduced their pre-2019 dummy of foisting unfounded allegations on its Leader, Senator George Akume, over matters relating to herdsmen attacks to scout for disaffection.

APC said: “The PDP camp in the state is faced with an overwhelming depleting population, loss of confidence and exhaustion of all available lies in its arsenal; it has resorted to petty, frivolous and even defamatory remarks Akume and the APC, in the hope of whipping up dangerous sentiments that would arouse public anger against our party.

“To put the records straight, Akume has not been to NKST Central Church, Wannune, in recent times; the APC leader only attended a wedding reception in Tarka last Sunday, away from the church, during which he identified with the couple and took time to enumerate the good deeds of his principal, President Buhari, towards Benue State, one of which is the siting of the Federal Polytechnic, Wannune, in the minister’s hometown.”