…As group uncovers SGF’s plot to hand over Benue to PDP through Aondoakaa despite cries of frustrated Zaki Biam-Gbeji massacre victims
The International Centre for Transparency Nigeria (ICTN) has uncovered plots by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume to back the governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Chief Mike Kaase Aondoakaa to win the 2027 general elections in Benue state.
The group also accused a former Senatorial aspirant of the All Progressive Congress in Benue State, Mr. Emmanuel Jime of taking twenty one members of the party to the SGF for a meeting where they all declared the intention not to work for the ruling party during next year’s elections.
The pressure group which spoke at a press briefing which was addressed by by its National leader, Prof. Joseph Vershima at Sheraton Hotel in Abuja this morning noted that this plan by Sen. George Akume is also going to affect the chances of President Bola Tinubu to win Benue State during the elections.
The group stated that Aondoakaa is an enemy of Benue State going by all the negative action he took as the Minister for Justice and Attorney General of the Federation under late president Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
The group recalled how Chief Aondoakaa frustrated the victims of Zaki Biam and Gbeji massacres which made them not to be able to get their compensation of N41.8Billion in a judgement recorded against the Federal Government in 2001
The text of the press conference reads in parts: “The Zaki Biam and Gbeji Massacre of October 2001 remains one of the gravest human rights tragedies in Nigeria’s democratic history. Following military operations in several Tiv communities, including Zaki Biam and Gbeji, hundreds of civilians were reportedly killed, properties worth billions of naira were destroyed, and thousands of residents were displaced.
“In pursuit of justice, Alexander Gaadi and thirteen others, on behalf of the victims, instituted an action against the Federal Government of Nigeria before the Federal High Court in Enugu, seeking ₦200 billion in compensation for the violation of their fundamental human rights.
“On 5 July 2007, Justice Lewis Allagoa delivered a landmark judgment, holding the Federal Government liable and awarding ₦41.8 billion in damages to the victims. The judgment remains one of the largest human rights compensation awards ever entered against the Federal Government of Nigeria”
International Centre for Transparency Nigeria stated further that following the judgment, Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN, who had assumed office as the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice. As the Federation’s Chief Law Officer allegedly vowed that Alexander Gaadi and the victims of the Zaki Biam and Gbeji massacre would never receive the compensation.
“He appealed the case and, in the process, effectively frustrated the enforcement of the judgment while the appellate proceedings remained pending. Many believed that the shock and frustration caused by Aondoakaa’s actions contributed to the death of Alexander Gaadi while the appeal was still pending. Gaadi had reportedly sold virtually everything, including landed properties, in his pursuit of justice for the victims of the massacre. He presented thousands of bags of pictorial evidence before the court to establish the atrocities committed against his Tiv people, while Aondoakaa was perceived as using the instrumentality of government to frustrate the enforcement of the judgment” the text of the press conference stated.
According to the group, it was after Aondoakaa left office in 2010 that the Federal Government through his successor, Muhammed Bello Adoke reportedly initiated discussions aimed at resolving the matter through an out-of-court settlement, with reports indicating a proposed settlement of approximately ₦8 billion.
“Those discussions, however, became controversial because of disputes regarding the lawful beneficiaries and the proper recipients of any compensation following the death of the lead plaintiff, Alexander Gaadi. One may ask whether this was not a deliberate attempt to frustrate his blood relatives and kinsmen. Why did Mohammed Bello Adoke, SAN, move to initiate an out-of-court settlement for the widely celebrated judgment shortly after President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan removed Michael Kaase Aondoakaa from office, while Aondoakaa had insisted on pursuing a course that appeared to prolong the suffering of his own people? As the saying goes, yesterday can always speak for today, Benue people, be wise” the group added.
The Transparency International group further stated that to date, there is no widely reported final appellate judgment overturning the Federal High Court’s award of ₦41.8 billion. “Consequently, the case remains one of Nigeria’s most significant constitutional and human rights decisions, highlighting both the ability of victims to obtain judicial redress against the State and the challenges associated with enforcing judgments against the Federal Government” it noted.
The group however stated that Zaki Biam and Gbeji compensation case continues to serve as an important reminder of the need for accountability, respect for the rule of law, and timely justice for victims of human rights violations. Michael Kaase Aondoakaa is Anti-Benue and Tiv people.
During the press briefing, International Centre for Transparency Nigeria also accused some Benue politicians especially in the ruling party of making plots to work against the reelection of both President Bola Tinubu and Governor Hyacinth Alia in 2027.
According to the group, it was reacting to an event that took place at the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume where a former Senatorial aspirant for Benue Northwest Senatorial Zone, Mr. Emmanuel Jime purportedly led some aspirants and members of the ruling party to join an APC faction that isn’t recognized by the National Working Committee of the party.
Recall that during the meeting between Senator George Akume and Jime yesterday, the former Senatorial aspirant told the SGF that the aggrieved members he brought to join Austin Agada-led faction which was dissolved by the party’s NWC more than two years are not ready to work with Governor Hyacinth Alia and the APC any longer.
But reacting to the development during the press conference, the group said that the Intel available to the group has exposed that Jime and the people he took to join the already disbanded Benue APC faction have always been working for the growth of the opposition parties in Benue state.
The group stated that it got an information that Jime is angry because he failed to clinch the party’s Senatorial ticket during the last primaries.
It went further that instead of Jime to join hands with the governor and the APC who has supported him greatly as a member of the ruling party since he assumed duties in 2023, he has chosen to join Senator George Akume in his quest to hand over Benue State to the People’s Democratic Party through Aondoakaa all in the name of a strategic partnership with the opposition party.
The group lamented that Jime and the people he took to Akume yesterday under the guise of breaking away from Governor Hyacinth Alia and the recognized Benjamin-Omale led leadership of the party in Benue state have never participated in any party activity since 2024.
The group said: “The same Jime has criticized Akume for three years , saying all sorts of bad things about him and the Agada-led faction he joined yesterday. The same Joke is now speaking good about the same Akume he has condemned for three years. This really means that he cannot be trusted.
“This is the same Akume that denied Jime the governorship ticket of the APC in 2015 and handed it over to Chief Samuel Ortom who was at that time a member of the People’s Democratic Party. This is still the same Akume who worked against Jime in 2019 when he got the ticket and still returned Ortom back for a second term just because of a pre-planned strategic partnership which they are executing today. This is the man Jime has now run to in order to destroy the Benue APC.
“We have it on good record that Jime and his co-travellers were rather working to build the opposition during the time the governor was mobilizing members for the ruling party during the last E- registration of party members. Also, during a certain Voters Registration exercise, Jime was busy romancing with Mr. Herman Hembe and Rotimi Amaechi who are leaders of the African Democratic Congress so he could secure the party’s Senatorial ticket. He didn’t mobilize for the APC during the exercise and how can such person think he could get the APC ticket after he has not been supporting the party.
” It is on record that Jime and the people he took to Senator George Akume yesterday are only planning to destroy the All Progressive Congress. They are working with the SGF to destroy the chance of President Bola Tinubu and Governor Hyacinth Alia with their plans to hand over the State to the People’s Democratic Party.
“We have also gathered that they have started pulling out resources to fund all the State House of Assembly candidates of the People’s Democratic Congress so they can use them to control and even impeach Governor Hyacinth Alia in case their plot to stop the governor’s reelection fails”
The group called on President Bola Tinubu to stop Senator Akume from following a path which made PDP to lose all the elections in 2023 in Benue as a result of the public endorsement and support for Peter Obi which the then governor, Mr. Samuel Ortom gave to the Labour Party through the so called strategic partnership.
“The support which Akume is giving the PDP may affect the winning chances of the APC in both the presidential, governorship and national and state assembly elections if he is not stopped immediately because of selfish reasons” the Transparency International group added..
According to the group, Governor Alia has done so well in the past three years and should be allowed to continue without distractions.
That under Governor Alia, over 600km of roads undergoing construction and rehabilitation with many already completed. Construction of the first Underpasses/flyovers in the state transforming Makurdi and Gboko, with Otukpo next. Establishment of the University of Agriculture, Science and Technology, Ihugh. Over 422 new and reconstructed basic education facilities across the state, including storey buildings. Recruited over 9700 teachers. Construction of the Food Basket Breweries; producing Zeva Premium Beer, Zeva Malt, and Oyi Bitters, revival of Benue Juice & Concentrate Factory, and the ongoing revival of Taraku Mills. Established Nail, water, bread, and polyethylene factories. Massive investments in agriculture, healthcare, and rural development. Provision of over 120 Hilux vehicles, 620 combatant motorcycles, and 6 patrol boats to strengthen security. Training of over 10,000 youths in ICT skills. Purchase of over 100 buses to ease transportation in the state through Benue Links. Implementation of the ₦75,000 new minimum wage from N18,000, with consistent payment of salaries, and the gradual clearance of inherited pension and gratuity arrears. Etc
The Governor is expanding support for farmers, improved healthcare delivery, and creating new opportunities for investment, jobs, and economic growth.
The Governor has done the work of 8 years in 3 years in office. That in the history of Benue State, no Governor or Administrator has done what Governor Alia has done in 3 years time, the Transparency International group added.
