Gov Alia conspiring with PDP to destroy APC in Benue – Lawmakers

• They disclosed that the governor colluded with leading figures in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to undermine the APC

The National Assembly caucus from Benue State, under the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, say governor Hyacinth Alia, has been working against the party’s interest since he came to office.

They disclosed that the governor colluded with leading figures in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to undermine the APC, especially during election of principal officers in the State House of Assembly.

The aggrieved federal lawmakers made the disclosure at a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday.

“The election of the speaker of Benue House of Assembly: The position of the speaker was zoned to the Jembagh bloc of Benue North West Senatorial District, coincidentally the birthplace of the SGF, Sen. Dr. George Akume, whereas APC has 22 members out of a total of 32 members of the Assembly.

“Governor Alia connived with former Governor Gabriel Suswam of PDP to produce a speaker different from the candidate preferred by APC. In the contest for the position of the Speaker, Governor Alia held midnight meetings at the residence of Sen. Gabriel Suswam and got ten (10) PDP members to align with 7 recalcitrant APC members to beat the APC preferred candidate by the margin of 2 votes, thus began his unholy alliance with PDP to undermine and maltreat the legitimate members of APC in Benue State.

“After the Speakership debacle, the party again nominated and made a spread of principal officers of the assembly, comprising- Majority Leader, Deputy Majority Leader, Chief Whip and Deputy Chief Whip. Surprisingly, the speaker joyfully agreed with the opposition party on all nominations from the Peoples Democratic Party as endorsed by the State Chairman of the PDP and Secretary but jettisoned the list submitted by APC and rather accepted the list that was unilaterally submitted by the Governor through his Chief of Staff.

“It was an embarrassing experience for the Party having to face the dejection in the hands of an administration it laboured hard to install”

The member representing Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency, Hon. Philip Agbese has also accused the Governor of nepotism, saying he appointed over 30 key political officers from his immediate clan in Vandeikya LGA, whereas, the Idoma speaking people from Benue South were grossly shortchanged in the scheme of things.