The Benue State government has insisted that there are no cracks between the state governor, Hyacinth Alia, and the Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume.
The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Sir Tersoo Kula, described an alleged crisis between the two as false and unfunded reports peddled by jealous people.
In a statement issued in Markudi, Kulau said the response was to clear the unwanted speculations and insinuations and set the records straight.
His reactions follow an allegation by a group on Sunday that both men were at loggerheads.
According to him, “Ordinarily, we wouldn’t have bothered to respond to this, but Joseph Goebbels once said that ”If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it.’
“Yesterday, Sunday, October 8th, 2023, another group came up with a Press Conference in Makurdi where they tried to give credence to some unfounded rumours by linking Governor Alia and the Government of Benue State as complaining of the SGF’s alleged meddlesomeness in the running of government in the State.”
He said the reason why the government would no longer be silent on such allegations was that Akume was not only a reputable politician and elder stateman in the APC, but in the northcentral.
Kula further said, “There exists no bad blood between Governor Hyacinth Alia and the SGF. The Governor has at different fora, and most recently, during a victory parade organized for him by the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State, declared that the SGF remains the leader of the party in the State and that there is no issue between them as being speculated by people who don’t mean well for the State.
“Jealous elements, especially, the opposition who are waiting to see a fight between us, should be ashamed of themselves. I am working hand in hand with my leader, Sen. George Akume.
“The opposition elements trying to foist a crack among the party’s leaders in the State by sponsoring malicious and vexatious press conferences should desist forthwith, as the Governor and the SGF’s relationship goes way back and will continue to wax stronger.”
