Benue Diaspora urges support for Suswam

Governor of Benue state, Gabriel Suswam

Disturbed by the high level of acrimony occasioned by political differences in the state, indigenes of Benue resident abroad have called for support for the Benue State governor, Gabriel Suswam, to enable him carry on the work he has started on behalf of the people of the state.

Addressing a press conference at Benue Hotels in the state capital, Makurdi, yesterday, the group, in a statement read by a representative, Joe Yashi, who is based in the United Kingdom, said that differences in party affiliation were not enough to bring disharmony in the land and urged all to embrace peace for the state to move forward.

Mr Yashi gave assurance that the Benue Diaspora would continue to offer support to the government and people of the state in the form of scholarship for students, skills acquisition and health facilities, among others. He condemned the opposition’s practice of using the media negatively and appealed to them to desist and instead support the governor as electioneering was over and a government had already been formed.

Mr Yashi also touched on the group’s dissatisfaction with the actions of some of its members. He revealed that a delegation was sent to the state to ascertain the level of development in the state and report to them. Those sent, Mr Yashi maintained, lauded the administration of Mr Suswam and showed pictures of the projects in the state. He lamented how the same group, a few days later, turned around to castigate the government of Mr Suswam for nonperformance. He wondered at the sudden change of the delegation.

The group pointed out that there was relative peace in the state as compared to what used to be the case in previous years and called for its sustenance. The spokesperson bemoaned the death of a leading member of the Action Congress of Nigeria leader in the state, Charles Ayede