Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia yesterday denied sponsoring the calls for President Bola Tinubu to sack the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) George Akume.

The Benue All Progressives Congress (APC) faction headed by Austin Agada had accused Alia of plotting Akume’s removal from Tinubu’s cabinet.

Alia and his predecessor Akume are locked in a fierce battle over the control of the state. The development led to a division in Benue APC, with the Benjamin Omale faction loyal to the governors and the Austin Agada faction to Akume.

In a statement, spokesman for the Agada faction Daniel Ihomun dismissed the claims that the governor played a role in Akume’s appointment as the SGF. Ihomun said: “This is ar from the truth.

Akume and President Tinubu share a very long relationship and have been political allies for decades (even before the ACN days).

“His emergence as SGF can be attributed to the trust Mr. President has in Akume, his impressive political profile, the zoning of the position to North Central, and the dynamics of party politics.