Benue: Alia tells predecessors to stop interfering in his administration

Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia yesterday urged his predecessors to “shut up” and stop meddling in the affairs of his administration. Governor Alia stated this, while fielding questions from newsmen at the Government House shortly after his arrival to the state from a foreign trip.

He however, stated that he and his government welcome constructive criticisms on him and his policies only when such come with verifiable facts. The Catholic priest has been having a running battle with some of his predecessors in office with regards to his style of government since coming on board nearly a year ago. Two of his former predecessors, the immediate past governor of the state, Samuel Ortom and the incumbent Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume are believed to have one axe or two to grind with him. While Ortom is said to be fighting him over sundry allegations bordering on his (Or- tom’s) tenure in office, Akume, who was the governor between 1999 and 2007, is up against the incumbent governor over the control of the Benue State chapter of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) which has be- come factionalised due to the crisis.