Cephas Iorhemen 
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State, Hon. Christopher Ukpe on Tuesday lauded the existing cordial relationship between the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume and Governor Hyacinth Alia, saying the bond will attract meaningful development to the state.
Besides, Hon. Ukpe has commended the governor’s developmental strides recorded so far including prompt payment of salaries to workers, the entitlements of pensioners and other infrastructural projects embarked upon aimed at transforming Benue.
Hon. Ukpe who spoke to New Telegraph in an exclusive interview in Makurdi, the state capital, frowned at what he called desperate plots in some quarters to surreptitiously instigate bad blood between the leader of the party (Akume) and Governor Alia to elicit certain interests stressing that such acts was not healthy for the growth and development of the state.
Ukpe who is eyeing the transition committee chairman for Makurdi Local Government Area said the governor’s prompt response to the payment of salaries and pensions using the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) in the midst of the state’s accounts been frozen barely six months ago was indeed a further demonstration of his prudence and transparency in the management of resources of the state.
According to him, Governor Alia was fast creating a history that would be difficult to surpass by his successors, noting that he parted ways with former Governor, Chief Samuel Ortom when he defected to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) due to his lukewarm attitude to the plight of workers and pensioners.
He commended the humanitarian strides of both federal and state governments in building resettlement homes for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) of armed militia herdsmen attacks in communities of the state to contain years of insecurity to return the IDPs back to their ancestral homes.
Hon. Ukpe said he was eyeing the transition committee chairman because he has been enormously favoured by the zoning arrangement that is to be produced by the people of Shangev-Tiev in the Konshisha local government area, a position he said has been created for Jechira the people.
He promised massive grassroots transformation including water and electricity supply, staff welfare, agricultural revolution and security to the lives and property of the people.
