APC Lawmakers Accuse Benue Governor Alia of Dictatorial Rule, Urge Party Intervention

By Iyojo Ameh

Members of ruling the All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers from Benue State have accused Governor Fr. Hyacinth Alia of dictatorial tendencies and running the state affairs like a personal enterprise.

The lawmakers, convened under the Benue APC National Assembly Caucus, have urgently called upon President Ahmed Bola Tinubu to intervene and rein in the governor before irreparable damage befalls the party’s standing in subsequent state elections.

At a one-day retreat organized by the Lawmakers in the National Assembly, the APC legislators condemned Governor Alia’s leadership style, labeling it as devoid of democratic principles, filled with arrogance, and self-centered conduct and is calling for the urgent need for intervention to prevent the erosion of the APC’s influence in Benue State due to Alia’s alleged autocratic governance style.

Senator Titus Zam, leader of the caucus representing Benue North West, detailed the series of attempts made to address the governor’s conduct. Zam highlighted their collective efforts to engage Senator George Akume, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), in mediating the situation, expressing disappointment in the lack of positive change in Alia’s behavior.

The lawmakers recounted instances of Governor Alia’s alleged disregard for party decisions, citing the manipulation of key appointments, including the Speaker of the Benue House of Assembly and the nomination of assembly principal officers. They accused Alia of forging alliances with opposition members to undermine APC’s interests in the state.

Moreover, the legislators criticized Alia’s unilateralism in appointing commissioners without adherence to established protocols, demonstrating a pattern of disregard for party structure and zoning arrangements.

The lawmakers also highlighted nepotism concerns, pointing out the governor’s alleged favoritism towards his immediate clan in Vandeikya LGA, neglecting other segments of the state’s populace.

“We the undersigned are members of the National Assembly Caucus elected on the All Progressives Congress (APC) platform from Benue State.

Cross section of participants

Having watched with apprehension the absence of democratic leadership in Benue State in the last six (6) months exemplified by the arrogant and egocentric conduct of Governor Hyacinth I Alia, we have decided to draw the attention of Mr President and other leaders of APC in Nigeria to seek their immediate intervention before the fortunes of APC in Benue State are totally destroyed”, the text of press statement after the retreat, reads.

Reading further, Leader of the Caucus and Senator representing Benue North West, Senator Titus Zam, said, the matter had been reported severally to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, who has been mediating to see that things were normalised.

“It is necessary to state from the onset that, we have collectively and individually drawn the attention of the leader of the APC in Benue, Sen. Dr. George Akume Secretary to the Government of the Federation who has on several occasions pleaded for patience from us in the anticipation of a possible change of attitude from His Excellency Governor Hyacinth Alia, rather than change for the better.

“Governor Alia has become more emboldened and has continued to treat us and the party in general in the most disgusting, disrespectful and disingenuous manner”, he said.

In retrospect, the APC Lawmakers said, “Fr. Alia only came to reap where he did not sow. In any case, you are well aware of the rejection his candidacy received from older members of the party including litigations in several courts of Law up to the Supreme Court of Nigeria, it took the strident support of Sen. Dr. George Akume to extricate his candidacy from the destructive grip of his co-aspirants and eventual victory at the polls.

Expressing their loyalty to APC’s leadership, the lawmakers pledged allegiance to President Tinubu, National Chairman Umar Ganduje, Senator Akume, and the state executive led by Comrade Austine Agada. They emphasized the urgent need for party intervention to safeguard APC’s electoral prospects in Benue State.