As the cold war between Governor Revd Fr. Hyacinth Alia of Benue State and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, continues to degenerate, a lawmaker representing Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency, Benue State, Hon. Philip Agbese, has ordered the immediate removal of the Governor’s portrait from his office.
Agbese, who removed Alia’s portrait after walking into his office at the National Assembly Complex on Tuesday morning, took the step following the growing feud between Alia and Akume.
The lawmaker removed the portrait from the gallery in his office and also ordered his Secretary to trash it, noting that the governor is not fit to be called a father or leader.
According to him, the Governor, having no regard for democracy and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has no place amongst the committee of leaders in a democratic setting.
He said: “So, today, I officially removed the portrait of this person (Governor Alia) from my office. Because he is not fit to be a leader. We can’t follow him.
“If you do not have respect for democracy; you don’t respect the constitution; then you are not my father and leader and your picture is not supposed to be in my office. “So, secretary, please help me trash this portrait. Thank you very much.”
Agbese decorated his office with portraits of President Bola Tinubu, Governor Alia, Senator Akume, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu; alongside his portrait in his office, while Glancing through other portraits in his office (as shown in a viral video posted on social media on Tuesday, said “This is the person we want to see. This is our leader, of course, he remains the leader of the party; he remains the father of the state.
“There is no doubt about him, because, he is a man of fairness, he is a man of equity, he is a man of justice. That is why we love him, and he has earned his respect.”
Governor Alia has been having political differences issues with the SGF, for some time now.
Just last week, the local government chairmen of the party in all 23 local government areas of the state distanced themselves from the appointment of the council caretaker committee made by the governor.
The party chairmen accused the governor of forsaking the party and romancing with the opposition party in the state. The claim was also corroborated by the state leadership of the party.
