PDP alleges bias in Kwande crisis report
From John-Abba Ogbodo (Abuja) and Simeon Nwakaudu (Makurdi)
THE People's Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed dissatisfaction over the Senate committee's report on Benue crisis, alleging bias.
PDP was particularly disturbed that the report had indicted a prominent member of the party and the Minister of Internal Affairs, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, over the communal crisis in Kwande Council of Benue State.
The Senate, in the wake of the crisis, which claimed many lives and property worth billions of naira, raised a panel headed by Senator Iyabo Anisulowo to look into the matter.
The panel in one of its observations, noted that Ayu said Paul Unongo had fuelled the crisis, which was an aftermath of the March 27 council polls.
But addressing a press conference yesterday in Abuja, the Assistant National Auditor (North-Central) of the party, Chief Godwin Dabo, said the report had already been taken to the party, adding that a petition had been lodged with the appropriate authorities.
Faulting the report, Dabo pointed out that the accounts of the crisis given by the state commissioner of police and the director of the State Security Services (SSS) in the state as well as other witnesses did not mention or link Ayu with the crisis.
According to him, the observation of the committee, which he said did not derive from any evidence, oral or written, was questionable.
He therefore, urged the President and other Nigerians to disregard the report.
Dabo asserted that the committee did not even invite the minister for questioning, neither did any evidence implicated him, "yet they went ahead to observe that he must be linked."
Dabo went on: "The point is that the call for Ayu's removal is malicious and unjustified. Nowhere in the evidence given by the witnesses was Dr. Ayu mentioned; yet the committee, by way of observation and not even in the body of the report, said he and Paul Unongo had fuelled the crisis. That is not fair."
Also addressing journalists in Makurdi, the PDP Secretary, Dr. Samuel Ortom, noted that the Anisulowo committee had visited Benue State with a "pre-determined position targeted at presenting the PDP in bad light."
His words: "The Senate Committee that investigated the Kwande crisis was very biased. They came to Benue State with a biased mind. They deliberately refused to allow PDP members to air their views on the Kwande crisis. They only listened to ANPP members."
He described as unfortunate the indictment of Ayu by the committee, saying Ayu is not from Kwande Council.
He added that Ayu never visited Benue State at the time the crisis was raging and wondered why his name was dragged into it.
Ortom further noted that Ayu had been at the vanguard of restoring peace to the area.
