A former President of the Senate, Ameh Ebute, has accused Benue state National Assembly caucus of taking sides in the crisis rocking Benue state chapter of the party.
Recall that both the State Governor, Hycinth Alia and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume have been having running battle about over the control of the party structure in the state.
Ebute in a statement issued Saturday noted that the two senators from Zones A and B Senatorial Districts of Benue State and a member of the House of Representatives representing Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency are giving the impression that the governor was rejecting the peace move by President Bola Tinubu.
He said: “These two Senators and a member of the House of Representatives had their candidatures and their election to the National Assembly by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) when he was the leader of the party in Benue State.
“Having been elected to the Senate and House of Representatives respectively, I expect them to sponsor bills and carry out oversight functions that will lead to the development of their constituencies particularly and Nigeria generally.
“I do not expect them to constitute themselves into a so-called National Assembly Caucus of only three and distract the attention of the Benue State Chief Executive. In all states of the federation where a particular political party produces the governor, the governor is the leader of that party in the state.”
Ebute revealed that APC elders in the state have advised the governor not to allow the sharing of party leadership functions with any other government official, no matter how highly placed.
He pointed out that it was not the issue of the governor respecting peace moves by the President, it was the issue of standing by the rules of the general practice of the presidential system of government whereby the president of the country is the ultimate leader of the party in the country, while governors are the leaders of the party in their states.
Ebute, therefore, urged the national leadership of APC led by Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje to invite all elders of APC in the state to advise them appropriately.