Politics

Why We’re Not Happy With Governor Alia – APC

Published

2 years ago

December 10, 2023

The ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, in Benue has blamed its lingering rift with Governor Hyacinth Alia on his failure to treat the party with some respect and dignity.

The party also claimed that the Governor has consistently failed to consult its leaders and carry its members along on issues, contrary to the norm.

Addressing the media in Makurdi, the three State Zonal Chairmen of the party in the state including Wilfred Uji of Zone A, James Tor of Zone B and Bishop Pinot Ogbaji of Zone C regretted that Governor Alia’s attitude towards the party had created a gulf between them.

Speaking on behalf of the trio, Bishop Ogbaji explained that the crisis was not between the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, George Akume and the Governor, but a dispute between the Benue APC and the Governor.

According to him, “the shaky relationship between Governor Hyacinth Alia and the APC started in June this year, during the inauguration of the State Assembly where the governor had preference for a candidate for the position of Speaker but could not confer with the leadership of the party, rather he allowed the party to painstakingly sit, zone the position and anoint a candidate that was not his choice.

“The end result was an embarrassing situation where stalwarts of the party were enmeshed in a shameful altercation that clearly lowered them and the party in the chamber of the Benue State House of Assembly.

“The party again nominated and spread other principal officers of the Assembly, but shockingly, the Speaker happily accepted all nomiations from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as duly endorsed by the PDP State Chairman and Secretary, however, he jettisoned the list submitted by the APC and rather announced the list that was allegedly submitted by the governor, through his Chief of Staff.

“It was a humiliating experience for the party, having to face that level of neglect in the hands of an administration we all laboured hard to plant, nevertheless, we sustained our faith in the governor and his government.

“In picking his commissioners, the Governor exercised his sole discretion without the usual tradition of directing local governments to make nominations taking cognizance of zonings and necessary political permutations, he rather made his independent choices as he found soothing but the party did not oppose him; we rather gave our full support to his action since that was his own State Executive and Security Council and he needed people he could trust.

“And when it was time for the nomination of Caretaker Committees to administer the Local Government Councils, Governor Alia threw it back to party members during the second stakeholders meeting by demanding an immediate nomination of three candidates each for the positions of Council Caretaker Chairman, Deputy and Secretary as well as Supervisory Councillors across the 23 Local Governments, demanding for 2 slots of Supervisory Councillors from each of the Local Governments.

“This was the first time a Governor would demand such from the Caretaker Council formation as against the usual one slot per local government. The party jubilantly agreed and obeyed the directive by holding meetings, and painstakingly nominating and submitting their various lists with a relieving sense of belonging.

“But quite shockingly, when the nominations were finally announced, the party was bewildered that 80 percent of the names were outside the actual nominees that were sent to the governor on his directive.

“We are not pushing to usurp or share powers with the Governor but if the governor was interested in forming a unity government, he would have simply called a general meeting of all Benue people and requested nominations from them rather than allowing APC members sweat to microzone the positions, shop for names and raise the hopes of candidates who were eventually ignored, dropped and their opponents, most of whom are members of rival political parties appointed.

“In all this misgiving and dissatisfaction, the announcement of Caretaker Committees marked the pinnacle of a noticeably sour relationship between Governor Alia and the APC in Benue State and this snowballing anger by all standards is justifiable.

“It is also trite to mention that as elders in the exco, we, the three Zonal Chairmen did not rest on our oars in seeking solutions; we have made frantic reconciliatory moves, trying to find out what the real issues were but in all our efforts, we could not get tangible issues capable of tearing the party apart.

“Our Leader, Sen. George Akume has deep love for Gov. Hyacinth Alia and in all our meetings, he has never spoken ill of the governor at any point; he has consistently admonished us to pray and support the governor to succeed, same way the governor eulogizes Sen. Akume at all times and hints of a cordial relationship between them.

“But the condition of Benue APC can best be likened to a helpless husband with a very beautiful wife that sleeps around with only his neighbours and enemies while he, the lawful husband is deprived of his conjugal rights.”

Reacting, the immediate past Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council and former APC Governorship candidate, Mr. Emmanuel Jime dismissed the allegations by the Zonal Chairmen saying, “those making the accusation are ignorant and it is without any foundation.

“In a Presidential democracy, the Governor is the Leader of the Party in his State just like any other State Governor. The tragedy of our democratic experiment so far is that most of us see politics as a meal ticket.

“Whenever an elected official chooses the path to real development, you will have the stomach infrastructure politicians attempting the distraction strategy. Benue is in dire need of a development agenda. The Governor appears to be focused on this. All men and women of goodwill must join in this all important endeavour.”
VANGUARD

Politics

LP Candidate Warns Of Plot To Disrupt Lagos LG Poll

Published

1 day ago

July 10, 2025

Editor

The Labour Party, LP, chairmanship candidate for Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area, Engr. Seyi Ipinlaye, has raised concerns over alleged plans by certain individuals to incite violence and disrupt the upcoming Lagos State local government elections scheduled for Saturday, July 12, 2025.

In a statement made available to journalists, Ipinlaye warned of attempts to replicate the “ugly menace” of the 2023 general elections, which he described as being marred by threats, ballot box snatching, and voter intimidation.

Ipinlaye called on the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission, LAISEC, to ensure a free and fair election, urging law enforcement agencies to be proactive in preventing possible violence and protecting voters in Amuwo-Odofin.

“We are already seeing signs of desperation as Labour Party campaign posters and banners are being torn and defaced. If this continues unchecked, it may lead to voter suppression and possible anarchy,” he said.

Recalling LP’s victories in the 2023 general elections in both state and federal constituencies in Amuwo-Odofin, Ipinlaye expressed confidence in the party’s support base, warning that any attempts to manipulate the outcome could backfire.

He also appealed to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Lagos State government to resist any interference in the electoral process, urging them to promote peace and transparency.

“We want the votes in Amuwo-Odofin to count, just like in Abia State where the governor allowed free and fair LGA elections without interference,” he said.

Ipinlaye concluded by calling on security agencies to remain neutral and act professionally before, during, and after the election to safeguard lives and property.

Politics

Protest Rocks Abuja Over Osun LG Polls

Published

2 days ago

July 9, 2025

Editor

Protesters under the aegis of the Nigeria Society for Democracy and Good Governance (NSDGG) and the Coalition of Civil Society for Justice and Equity (CCSJE) took to the streets of Abuja on Wednesday, demanding that the Federal Government enforce court judgments declaring the occupation of Local Government Council Secretariats in Osun State by All Progressives Congress (APC) officials as illegal.

The protest, which began at the Unity Fountain and proceeded to the offices of the Attorney General of the Federation and the Minister of Finance, highlighted the escalating tension over the alleged disregard for judicial authority and its threat to democratic governance.

The civil society organisations urged the Attorney General, Mr Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), and the Minister of Finance to intervene by recognising and funding only the duly elected officials of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

According to the protesters, the PDP Chairmen and Councillors were validly elected on 22 February 2025, in an election conducted by the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC), in line with the Electoral Act 2022.

However, despite court rulings voiding the appointments of APC officials, the party’s functionaries allegedly continue to occupy council offices across the state.

Speaking to journalists during the protest, Chairman of the CCSJE, Comrade Collins Idowu, described the situation as a ‘profound threat’ to the rule of law and democratic governance.

He emphasised the financial and constitutional dangers of the ongoing crisis, calling on the Minister of Finance to withhold further allocations to illegally occupying APC officials and instead channel funds to the duly elected PDP Chairmen and Councillors.

“The current situation in Osun State is not merely a political issue; it is a profound threat to the rule of law and democratic governance.

“Despite clear court judgments that have invalidated the APC officials’ claims to their positions, they continue to occupy Local Government Council Secretariats, undermining the very foundation of our democracy. This blatant disregard for judicial authority and electoral integrity is alarming and poses significant financial implications for the state and its citizens,” Idowu said.

On his part, the spokesperson for the NSDGG, Ambassador Usman Saidu Calculus, also described the situation as a threat to democracy.

He warned that continued financial support to those without a legal mandate sets a dangerous precedent and may trigger instability and chaos at the grassroots level of governance.

“The NSDGG stands firm in its commitment to promoting democracy and good governance in Nigeria, and we believe that your actions in this matter will reflect the government’s dedication to upholding the rule of law and the principles of democracy.

“We demand that the government act decisively to rectify this situation by recognising the rightful representatives of the people and ensuring that public funds are allocated accordingly. The citizens of Osun State deserve to have their voices heard and their choices respected,” he said.

The protesters submitted letters to the offices of the Attorney General and the Minister of Finance, demanding strict adherence to the rule of law and the full implementation of valid court rulings.

Politics

ADC Unveiled In Benue, Woo Gov Alia

Published

2 days ago

July 9, 2025

Editor

The Protem State Chairman of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, in Benue State, Chief Terngu Tsegba, has said Governor Hyacinth Alia is welcome to join the party if he so desires.

Speaking to newsmen Wednesday in Makurdi shortly after the unveiling of the party and his emergence as the Protem State Chairman, Chief Tsegba stated that members of other political parties were already collapsing their structures into the ADC and more were being expected.

He said: “Members of other parties are collapsing into the ADC, and anybody from any party that wants to join the ADC is welcome,e including the Governor of Benue state. If he wants to join the ADC, he is welcome provided he satisfies the requirements of the party.”

The former chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Speaker Pro tempore of the House of Representatives explained that they had already resigned their membership of the PDP and were in the ADC to change the fortunes of the people of the state and Nigerians at large.

While expressing optimism that the ADC would take Benue State, Chief Tsegba said an ADC-led government in the state would frontally address the issues of insecurity in the state.

“For us in Benue state, if there is security,y the farmers can go to their farms, small businesses will thrive, and of course, everything will go as planned. So the first issue we are going to confront as a party and as a government is to arrest the insecurity in the state, return our people to their ancestral homes and then grant autonomy to local governments.

“If the Local Government are receiving their allocation directly from the Federal Government I believe most of the things the state cannot do at the local government level, the Local governments would be able to handle them.

“And to do that we will scrap the Bureau for Local Governments and return the allocation to the local governments.”

Unveiling the party earlier, former Governor of the State, Senator Gabriel Suswam stated that the coalition was born out of necessity, as the PDP, APC, Labour Party, LP, and other parties had been plagued by perpetual internal crises prompting the coming together of like minds in the ADC.

Meanwhile the PDP has described its members who joined the ADC as nomadic politicians seeking to destabilise the PDP for personal gains.

The party in a communique at the end of its Benue North West Senatorial District or Zone ‘B’ Stakeholders meeting held in Makurdi cautioned its members against joining any coalition.

Part of the communique read: “On the excitement over the new political platform, the PDP leaders describe former members of the party who have joined the coalition as an assemblage of nomadic politicians who are only seeking to destabilize the party for their personal and political gains.

“They are aggrieved because they were out manoeuvred when they attempted to seize the structures of the PDP for merchandise. They have no capacity to rescue anyone from anywhere. It is a truism that the PDP remains the only party committed to protecting our heritage, land, and people.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the PDP in Zone B remains one and indivisible and rooted in the ideals of our founding fathers. We have no dealing with any coalition or the purported new political party in the name of ADC.

“We are not in any coalition with any political party or parties. We therefore encourage our members to disregard any speculations of any coalition at any level. Those championing the coalition are the disgruntled and self-serving elements amongst us who have long enjoyed the support of PDP but now seek to undermine the party’s unity and progress.”
(VANGUARD)