The coalition of political parties in Benue State and the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) raised alarm on Thursday that Governor Hyacinth Alia has failed in security, transparency, and accountability.
The group, while releasing its one-year assessment report on the administration during a press briefing held in Abuja, further accused Governor Alia’s administration of corruption, disregard for the rule of law, unfulfilled promises, and abuse of office.
Speaking on behalf of the Coalition, Tor Aondofa Paul of the National Rescue Movement, Simon Ogbe of the Zenith Labour Party, and Bishop Benson Ijachi of the Accord Party, who addressed the media, said: “We all know that the primary responsibility of every government is the protection of lives and property.
“Since Governor Alia assumed power, the security situation in Benue State has deteriorated as compared to how it has been in the last four years.
“Since he assumed office, no single operational vehicle has been bought for the security agents in Benue State to support their operations in the state.
“We have witnessed a massive influx of cows and armed Fulani herdsmen in the state despite the existence of the law prohibiting open grazing in Benue State.
“These herdsmen are complicit in the renewed insecurity in the state as they have been fingered in several killings and attacks on innocent Benue people in Guma, Logo, Gwer-Wesr, Makurdi, Otukpo, Agatu, Apa, Gwer-East, Kwande, Ukum, and Ado local government areas of the state.
“Just a few weeks ago, the chief of staff to former governor Samuel Ortom, Pastor Terwase Orbunde, was attacked on his farm along the Welfare Quarters-MMobile Police barracks road in the heart of Makurdi.
“While Orbunde survived the attack with bullet wounds, his wife and housekeeper were kidnapped. They were only released a few days later after a ransom was paid to the herders.”
On the issue of corruption, transparency, and accountability, the group alleges that Governor Alia’s administration is “notorious for its total disregard for due process and the rule of law.
“Shortly after Governor Alia assumed office, the Governor, without constituting an Executive Council, awarded a contract to the tune of N6 billion, an amount that was 120 times higher than the approval limit of the Governor at the time the contract was awarded.
“Most of these contracts were neither approved by the previous Benue State Executive Council nor captured in the 2023 budget.
“We are all witnesses to the governor’s total disregard for the rule of law. In less than 4 weeks in office, the governor sacked and replaced democratically elected Local Government Council Chairmen and Councillors in the state with a Caretaker Committee, despite a judgement by the National Industrial Court restraining him from doing so.
“The governor then went further to approach a court of coordinate jurisdiction (Benue State High Court) seeking to set aside the judgement of the National Industrial Court, Makurdi Division, which restrained him from sacking the 23 elected local government chairmen and councillors.
“In Benue State today, Governor Hyacinth Alia has not disclosed the wage bill of the state, all the revenue accruals to the state from the Federation Allocation Account Committee (FAAC), internally generated revenue (IGR) grants, and special interventions from the FG.
“Even the palliatives from the Federal Government to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal were only disclosed after much pressure from the opposition for the governor to do so.
“The administration of Fr. Hyacinth Alia has failed to meet up with his social contract with the people of Benue State. The promise to return the internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their ancestral homes and clear all the salary and pension arrears within 100 days has remained a mirage. The governor is doing the opposite of what he promised during campaigns.
“Under the reign of Governor Hyacinth Alia, abuse of freedom of speech, threats to fundamental human rights, and gagging of the press are the order of the day.
“Just a few weeks ago, the member representing Vandeikya/Konshisha in the House of Representatives, Hon. Sesoo Gboko, was forcefully stopped from worshipping his creator (God) at a Thanksgiving organised in his honour at Tsuwe Daka, Shangev-Tiev, Konshisha local government area of Benue State by thugs allegedly sponsored by the caretaker chairman of Konshisha local government area, Philip Achua, and the Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Aondowase Kunde.
“Up until now, Governor Hyacinth Alia has not condemned the violation of the fundamental human rights of the federal lawmaker by his appointees. The right of political parties to assemble freely has also been taken away from them.
“In Benue State, the Governor, for selfish reasons, has placed a ban on political gatherings, where people perceived to be his opponents, including members of his party (APC), are barred from meeting because of their loyalty to the Secretary of the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume.”
On the resurgence of thuggery: “Thuggery disappeared from Benue Politics in 2015. From May 29, 2015, to May 29, 2023, thuggery was not part of Benue Politics, as no political party patronised thugs and those who dared to indulge in acts of thuggery were dealt with according to the law, be it under an APC or PDP administration.
“However, with the emergence of Hyacinth Alia as Governor, thuggery has been elevated to the status of a state religion. The administration of Rev. Fr. Alia has reintroduced thuggery in the state under the guise of Benue State Central Youths. A good number of the so-called central youths are reputed for criminality and thuggery.”
The group, therefore, called on President Bola Tinubu to shine a light on the state of affairs in Benue State and intervene to curtail the executive rascality, corruption, abuse of the fundamental rights of Benue citizens, total disregard for the rule of law, and all the anti-democratic tendencies of Alia’s administration.
The political parties are: the Accord Party, APGA, Zenith Labour Party, Boot Party, APM, NRM, APP, ADC, as well as the NNPP.
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