Benue PDP Reps caucus urges Buhari to redeem N10b

PDP Benue caucus in the House of Representatives on Monday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to honour the N10 billion pledged to the state to resettle Internally Displaced Persons (IDP).

The caucus told a news conference on Wednesday in Abuja it was begging the president to honour the N10 billion promised.

Rep Mark Gbillah, leader of the caucus said it was displeased with the language deployed by Mr George Akume, former governor of the state when he addressed a news conference on Aug. 30.

At the news conference, Akume asked the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on Benue State over alleged failure of leadership on the part of Gov. Samuel Ortom.

Gbillah said that the caucus rejected the call for a state of emergency, while calling on Akume to exercise caution and embrace dialogue with the state government.

“What we expected Akume to do was to ensure that the N10 billion promised by the Federal Government to resettle the IDPs was released.

“The caucus wishes to state clearly that what Gov. Ortom as the Benue leader has been saying on insecurity in Benue are the collective opinions of Benue people.

“This is not the personal opinion of the governor and should not be personalised.

“The caucus also rejects Akume’s call for the disbandment of the Livestock Guards in the implementation of the Benue Anti-Open Grazing Act,’’ he said.

He appealed to Akume, as one of the leaders in the state to eschew his disagreement with the governor and embrace efforts to end attacks on innocent citizens and indigenes of the state.

Gbillah called on all traditional rulers, political leaders and neutral persons, with the interest of Benue at heart to intervene and foster unity for the common good of the state.

He also called on the leadership of the National Assembly to intervene and nip the call for the imposition of an emergency rule in Benue in the bud as it would amount to a breach of democratic norm.