Akume recruiting militia to rig election – Benue govt





The Benue state government Wednesday said it has received reliable intelligence reports that Senator Akume and his followers were planning to recruit militia to assist them to prosecute the remaining state elections.

The government also said it will not tolerate any act of lawlessness and will ensure that conventional security apparatus are deployed to contain the alleged challenge.

Special Adviser to the Benue state governor on media and ICT, Mr Tahav Agerzua, in a press statement made available to news men in Makurdi accused senator Akume of instigating supporters in his hometown of Wannune to block the road and harass passersby as well as PDP members in the town.

He said the senator also followed up by moving round the streets of Makurdi, and attempting to force his way into Government House to cause trouble after the APC lost most of the elections in the state.



He said: “What one expected from him for the patronage from the public is gratitude to the people of the state in general and the zone in particular for elevating him to various leadership positions including governor and Senator.

“However, in his usual pride and megalomania that led to his fall, Akume has chosen to deprecate the democratic process of which he has been a major beneficiary for 20 long years,” he said. 

On allegations by Akume, that Governor Ortom used armed Livestock Guards who he kitted in military and police uniforms during the elections, the Benue government described it as a blatant falsehood.

“Governor Ortom does not patronize thugs and any militia. He won elections in 2015 without any resort to these and does not need and has never used them to prosecute his election in 2019. This explains why he executed an amnesty program to rid the state of illegal arms and criminals in the early part of his administration,” the statement added.

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