From Scholastica Onyeka, Makurdi
Former People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for governor in Benue State Chief Patrick Ogbu has urged the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, to bring his fatherly disposition to bear on Governor Hyacinth Alia, while he makes his appointments.
Ogbu said the SGF should work with the Governor to ensure that the position of Commissioners and Advisers in his administration was shared equally among the three senatorial districts, Zone A, B and C areas of the state.
Speaking to newsmen in Makurdi, on Monday, the former Chairman, Board of Directors, Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), also advised that in making the appointments to the state cabinet, the Governor should consider the issue of gender to ensure that everyone is carried along.
In his suggestion, “The Governor can make the appointment of Commissioners and Advisers on a 50-50 ratio, stressing that the issue of gender should be put into consideration in order to balance the appointments. That’s the angle I am coming from”, he stated.
Ogbu while observing that there was some loop sidedness in appointments so far made, said what the populace wanted is the restoration of sanity in the system saying many had thought that with the background of Alia as a priest, he would rid the state of some of these challenges.
The former guber aspirant explained that because of the marginalisation that has been embedded in the system for such a long time, it was only when everyone was carried along that the healing process would commence.
He said he is asking the SGF to intervene because his intervention will ensure that Zone C will have some respite.
Ogbu further appealed to the SGF to insist that the appointment of a substantive Minister for the slot apportioned to Benue state was occupied by someone from Benue-South senatorial district, (Zone C).
He advised the Tinubu administration that in considering who finally emerges in his cabinet from the state, the person should be from Benue South irrespective of whether he or she was from the Idoma or Igede speaking area.
While naming the former Deputy Governor, Chief Steven Lawani and Emmanuel Akpakwu, a Fellow of the Healthcare Administrators of Nigeria among others, Ogbu said the zone has an array of suitable personalities suitable for the positions.