Benue: PDP accuses Alia of taking sole administrator status, breaching the constitution

3rd August 2023

From Scholastica Onyeka, Makurdi

The Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), in Benue State Benue has accused Governor Hyacinth Alia of taking the status of a sole administrator andconducting the business of governance of the state like in a one man show.

The PDP is alleging that the governor has failed to submit a list of Commissioners to the Benue State House of Assembly for screening and possible confirmation for appointed into his cabinet, as required by law.

The party also stated that the Governor has also arbitrarily placed under lock and key the bank accounts of the entire structure of government in the state, thereby grounding the day to day running of MDAs.

The PDP in a statement signed by the State Publicity Secretary, Bemgba Iortyom, said they have observed with grave concern serial breaches of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by Governor Hyacinth Alia, since his assumption of office on May 29, 2023.

“Fundamental to those breaches observed by PDP so far is the failure by the governor to submit a list of Commissioners to the Benue State House of Assembly for screening and possible confirmation to be appointed into his cabinet, as required by law.

“By the provisions of Section 147 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended by the Fifth Alteration No. 23 of 2023) the Governor of Benue State is under mandatory obligation of law to submit names of nominees for screening and confirmation as commissioners to be appointed into his cabinet within 60 days of his taking oath of office.

“However, the Benue State Governor failed to adhere to this requirement of law and, rather on deadline day, July 27, 2023, the Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Hyacinth Dajoh, had read to members of the House at plenary a letter and purported same to have come from the governor in respect of a list of nominees for appointment as Commissioners into his cabinet, but the Speaker had declined making known those nominees.

“Speaker Dajoh had said that the identities of those “Ghost Nominees” of Mr. Governor will be made known at some later date, but to this day they remain unknown to the people, neither is there any semblance of a screening exercise to be done for them.

“But while this has been the case, the Benue State Governor has been conducting the business of governance as a sole administrator, and has also arbitrarily placed under lock and key the bank accounts of the entire structure of government in the state, thereby grounding the day to day running of MDAs.”

The PDP said it is aware that Governor Alia opens those accounts of government to make financial withdrawals as he deems fit and closes them back again, in the fashion of running government under emergency law in time of war, and this raises for us as a party the following legal issues.

While insisting that Alia is running a one-man, the party also said that the Governor has not shown the roadmap on how to return to their homes people displaced by killer Fulani herdsmen as he promised during the campaigns.

“This is totally unacceptable to the PDP and indeed the people of Benue State who are bearing the brunt of the inept, incompetent and perfidious manner of governance of Governor Hyacinth Alia, and the party will take all necessary lawful action to challenge and hold this government to account,” the party said.

In response, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Benue State, Tersoo Kula who stated that “Governor Hyacinth Alia cannot be blackmailed by those wearing crowns of corruption,” described the claims by PDP as another feeble attempt by hirelings of the outgone Samuel Ortom administration, to discredit his boss.

He recalled that the House was on recess and was only called back for an emergency sitting for the purpose of receiving and attending to the list submitted to them, said “What proof has the PDP that names of Commissioners were not submitted to the Benue House of Assembly before or within 60 days from the date of proclamation of the Assembly?

Kula who maintained that a a new Benue is possible with Alia said while “Civil servants are smiling, Medical Doctors are dancing, NYSC members who had completed and submitted forms for redeployment are massively reconsidering their decision and farmers in a joyous mood, his boss will be remain focused in restoring the lost glory of the state.

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