A Muslim group under the aegis of All Muslim Community Leadership Forum, Otukpo branch, has assured Otukpo local government chairman, Prince Maxwell Ogiri, of their support and loyalty to his administration at all times.
The group made the pledge when they paid a courtesy visit to the council boss on Friday at his private residence, Otukpo, Benue State.
Speaking on behalf of the group, the chairman of the forum, Dr Umar Ajape, said they were at the residence to pay homage to the council boss.
He congratulated him on his recent election as council chairman, stressing that they were aware of his efforts to develop the local government and were ready to key into his programmes.
“We ‘re here to identify with you so that we can know each other better. We have seen your developmental strides within your short stay in office.
“We hereby pledge our total loyalty and support to you as you work round the clock to make Otukpo great again,” he stated.
Dr Ajape, however, regretted to inform him that the Muslim community in Otukpo was side-lined in terms of development and palliative distributions by past administrations in the area and asked for a reversal
“Mr Chairman, I want to tell you that our families have been contributing their quotas to the development of the council. We always vote massively during elections and carry out businesses in the town. Many of our families have stayed more than a century in the town.
However, we don’t get anything good in return. “No social amenities, no political appointments and our chiefs are not even given support in terms of allowances or salaries by previous governments in this land,” he lamented.
The Muslim leader specifically appealed to Prince Ogiri to look into the conditions of Otukpo Main Market which he said if properly harnessed could generate huge finance for the local government.
Responding, Prince Maxwell Ogiri, thanked the group for coming to identify with him and pledging to key into his developmental programmes.
“I appreciate your visit and your pledge to be loyal and give support to the council leadership at all times.
“As a community, I know the roles some of you have played in Otukpo, thus you should be remembered in the distribution of all democratic dividends.
“I urge you to be united in your community. Don’t allow leadership tussle to tear you apart as the council cannot tolerate factional leadership as is currently noticed in your amidst.
“I further call on you not to cease in your community development as you have been doing. The issue of safeguarding the town against insecurity should be of most priority to us all,” he emphasized while promising to look into the complaints of the organization with a view to addressing them in a short time to come.
The Voice reports that the highpoint of the visit was the presentation of the Otukpo Muslim Community All Progressives Congress (APC) Leader, Alhaji Amodu Umaro to the council chairman by the group.
