Benue Speaker breaks silence on alleged plot to impeach Ortom

Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Terkimbi Ikyange, has
dismissed reported plots to have himself and Governor Samuel Ortom
impeached by the state lawmakers.

He, however, admitted that there had been little political instability
in the APC.

Fielding questions from newsmen in Makurdi, shortly after the
adjournment of Tuesday's sitting, the Speaker said: "the rumours are
handiwork of external influence in town which has hit up the system
but there are no plot to impeach me and the governor of the state.

"Cordial relationship has existed between all arms of government since
the past three years."

Earlier, security was tightened at the premises of Benue State House
of Assembly over the alleged impeachment plot.

According to Daily Trust newspaper, the development was not
unconnected with rumours of bitter rivalry currently existing between
the state governor, Samuel Ortom and the leader of the ruling All
Progressives Congress (APC), Senator George Akume ahead of the 2019
election.

It was gathered that Ortom and his supporters have perfected plans to
defect from the APC following the party's alleged move to deny the
governor its ticket to re-contest in 2019 but Akume was said to have
threatened the governor not to dare him by leaving the party on which
platform he won the 2015 election for another.

It was gathered that the senator had allegedly perfected arrangement
with his loyalists, one of who is the speaker of the House to impeach
the governor, a development said to have irked other lawmakers in the
opposition party to plot the removal of the speaker.