By: Johnson Babajide – Makurdi
The All Progressives Congress (APC), Benue State Chapter on Tuesday raised the alarm of a plan by the State Governor, Samuel Ortom, to appoint his cronies as new permanent secretaries and give accelerated promotions to selected individuals of interest in the state civil service.
In a statement issued by the party publicity secretary in the state, Daniel Ihomou, with a copy made available to journalists in Makurdi, argued that the planned promotion by the outgoing administration was a booby trap to constitute impediments to the incoming administration of Rev. Fr. Dr Hyacinth Alia by planting landmines and pitfalls to slow his takeoff.
But governor Ortom said that the APC is already raising unnecessary alarm to lay the foundation for their failure.
APC in the state, however, urged those earmarked for such appointments and promotion to turn down the offer describing it as ‘Greek gifts’.
The statement read in parts, “These selected individuals have been tools in the hands of the failed Ortom led government, constituting themselves into a cartel that has robbed Benue civil servants, pensioners and the state at large of the dividends of democracy and have brought untold hardship to the people of the state.
“The All Progressives Congress in Benue State urges those whose names have been penciled down for such ill appointments, promotions and placement to reject such Greek-gifts from the Ortom led administration.
“We will like to advise that those who refuse to heed to this warning and take up such appointments will be treated as saboteurs and enemies of the Benue people.
“The incoming administration of Rev. Fr. Dr Hyacinth Alia in Benue State is positioned to restore peace in our communities and to deliver its promises of restructuring, rebuilding and developing Benue. The APC will therefore not fold its arms and allow anyone or group of persons to plant landmines in its path.
In a swift reaction, the Special Adviser to the governor on Media and Publicity, Terver Akase said that the APC in the state is already laying the foundation for their possible failure.
Akase said, “There is no iota of truth in what they are saying, if at all there is something like that, is it bad for that people who are due for promotion should not be promoted? There is nothing truthful about that.
“What they are saying shows that the APC people are not ready to learn. Benue people should ignore them, it is another lie manufactured by the Benue APC to whip up sentiment and probably laying foundation for their failure.”
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