From Msurshima Andrew, Makurdi
Benue State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), has faulted the Governor elect, Rev. Father Hyacinth Alia, on his recent utterance that Governor Samuel Ortom has left civil servants in Intensive Care Unit, ICU, and promised to infuse life into them when sworn into office.
The State Publicity Secretary Bemgba Iortyom, said the party views the remark as pathetic and wondered “How did Alia determine the state of the Benue worker as being in the ICU when himself said he will need to look at the books before determining the situation of things?
The party further queried “What would Mr. Governor-elect say when he looks into the books and realizes that Benue State is paying the highest wage package to civil servants in the entirety of northern Nigeria, and the third-highest nationwide, only behind Lagos and Rivers states?
“Will it still be his opinion that it is Governor Ortom who put the Benue civil servant in ICU when facts from the books tell him salaries and pensions arrears have been a recurring decimal from the days of Aper Aku all the way through to the time of his present day god-father, Senator George Akume?
“Would it not have been a bit more gubernatorial for him to first ponder on why Benue civil servants have not been going on strike action despite the said backlog of salaries and pensions?
Bemgba said Alia’s visit to Aso Rock was rather a better opportunity for him to have sent a message to the killer herdsmen that he will not condone their atrocities in Benue, if and when he assumes office as governor.
While expressing surprise that even the killing of 25 farmers by the marauding herders in Apa Local Government Area was not worthy of mention, the PDP publicity Secretary said, “PDP in Benue State advises Mr. Governor-elect Alia to properly apply his mind to the task before him by understanding that if and when he does get to office as Governor, the buck for everything done in Benue will stop at his table and no longer that of Ortom.
“Being a great governor of Benue State will never be about making flowery speeches lampooning the past administration. It will be all the time about engaging the brain before the mouth,” the party added.
