Governor Hyacinth Alia accused members of the Benue State National Assembly Caucus of supporting attacks in the state; the caucus has disputed the accusation.
According to Governor Alia, who made the accusation during an interview on national television, “…some politicians who are very functional, and are in the National Assembly, and are in Abuja, are the architects and arrowheads of not just instigating but harbouring and keeping these people; keeping them in the bushes and taking care of all their bills and buying all the gadgets for them.”
On Thursday, the caucus released a statement at the National Assembly denying the governor’s accusation and describing it as unfounded, reckless, and irresponsible. The statement was made by Comrade Abba Patrick Abba, the senator representing the Benue South Senatorial District and Senate Minority Leader.
The entire declaration, which is called Alia’s Many Lies, reads:
Concerned about the security threats facing the state, the Benue State Caucus of the National Assembly observed Governor Alia’s outrage directed against the Benue State National Assembly members with great dismay.
We used to think the governor’s outbursts were typical of a failing leader, so we ignored them. Governor Alia once called members of the Benue National Assembly “bokoti,” meaning “useless people,” because they had voiced serious concerns about the governor’s failure to address the security crisis in Benue State, which had killed and injured numerous indigenous people, destroyed properties valued at billions of naira, and prevented farmers and business owners from making a living.
Senators Emmanuel Udende and Abba Moro brought up the issue of security in Benue State in a motion, but Governor Alia said that they were trying to mislead the Senate and the people of Nigeria about the situation.
Additionally, Senator Titus Zam’s bill was directed to be implemented by the governor in a Senate resolution, but the governor has openly refused to follow the resolution and enforce the Open Grazing Prohibition Law of Benue State.
Regrettably, earlier this year during a church service in Ikpayongo, Benue State, Governor Alia claimed that no homicides had taken place in Benue State since he took office in May 2023.
“Governor Alia described the occurrings as “simple skirmishes” when some civilians were killed in Bonta, Konshisha LGA, and Ukpute, Oju LGA. However, in one of his careless appearances on national television, Governor Alia uncharitably accused members of the Benue State National Assembly of being involved in the killings in Benue State.
“No governor of Benue State has ever been caught in the past trying to play both sides of an issue, particularly when it comes to matters that affect the lives and property of the people.
While simultaneously defending the invaders as foreigners protected by ECOWAS norms to freely tour ECOWAS member nations, Governor Alia would accuse them of land grabs and defend Benue people from attacks.
“We, the undersigned members of the Benue State National Assembly Caucus, hereby and without reservation, reject the charge that we are funding Fulani militia to persecute our own people.
Every single one of the National Assembly’s members has made a significant contribution to fixing the problems plaguing Benue State right now.
While the governor resides in the comfort of Government House, Makurdi, until there was a faint cry of condemnation for those responsible for these horrific crimes, members of parliament are present every week to attend funerals and express their sympathies with those who have died.
Victims of what are believed to have been armed ranchers have not received enough compassion from the governor.
Otukpo is just one example of how the governor of Benue State would rather criticise young people who are demonstrating against the massacre of their relatives than the perpetrators of the brutal assaults that have targeted the state’s defenceless population.
The governor, under the bright light of national television, would accuse his people of killing their own people—a classic example of his recklessness and lack of knowledge about governance—and it would be the first occurrence of its like in Nigeria’s history.
What a pitiful display of extreme politics. It is disheartening that a governor would refer to his own state’s National Assembly members as “members of Shenanigans,” for whatever reason that may be.
The governors of Borno and Plateau States, for example, would recognise the suffering of their citizens and ask the federal government to step in, but Alia’s Benue State has done none of that, lending credence to claims that Alia was bought and paid for in the 2023 election. The National Assembly Caucus has made the following demands as a result of the above:
Members of the National Assembly’s Benue Caucus deserve an apology from the governor, who should officially repudiate his remarks.
The people of Benue and Nigeria need an immediate report from the Inspector General of Police detailing the results of an investigation into National Assembly Caucus members.
“Please, immediately, urge the governor to end his escalating squabbles, begin governing effectively, and put an end to his use of non-state actors to blackmail his political opponents.”