Benue NASS Caucus Worry Over Crisis

Benue National Assembly Caucus has expressed concern over Governor Hycient Alia’s inability to honour many peace arrangements made by President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to resolve the party’s crisis in Benue.

The APC in Benue State has been in great disarray barely two months after Alia, a Reverend Father, was inaugurated as Governor.

Attempts by various party stakeholders, especially members of the state’s National Assembly, to get the Governor on a roundtable for peace and the party’s progress proved abortive.

Despite interventions from the Presidency, the national leadership of APC, and the Paramount Ruler of Benue State, the Tor Tiv, HRM, Professor James Ayatse, that Alia should reconcile with his political benefactor and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Senator George Akume, the rancours created amongst party members and stakeholders continue to increase in instalments.

Addressing newsmen yesterday in Abuja in reaction to reports that Alia shunned the President’s emissary mediating on the Benue Crisis, the Spokesperson of the Benue NASS and Federal Appointees Caucus, Rep. Philip Agbese, described it “as a cog in the wheel of progress for the party, for anyone, not to even talk about the Governor himself, to undermine the efforts of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in making sure peace returns to the party in Benue”.

Agbese, however, said the Benue NASS Caucus was not surprised, stressing that “it is his (Alia) nature and character to disrespect highly placed individuals and authorities.

“Fr. Alia prefers secret places where he can report you, tell lies against you and at the same time, act as the judge.

“But when the fundamental principle of justice was tested, Mr. Governor refused to show up”.

Agbese added that senior Nigerian citizens could now see the problem with Governor Alia, “who wants to destroy the APC in Benue State for his narrow interest”.

Agbese expressed optimism that the crisis would end “as Mr. President desires to see a united APC family in Benue State”.

The Governor is said to be hobnobbing and recruiting even non-party members into the cold war that exists between him and SGF Akume. Agbese said this was a sign of desperation further to plunge the state into a more bottomless political quagmire.

“Sooner than later, after winning the election, for Fr. Alia, the legions of demons who wanted to stop him as Governor and appeared to him in a dream to frighten him, today he has gone with them”, Agbese lamented.

The Lawmaker, who represents Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency at the Green Chamber, urged party faithful in Benue to remain committed to the original ideology and belief in the party, which made them win 2 out of 3 Senate seats and 10 out of 11 House of Representatives seats; saying, the Members in National Assembly are still intact in the party, despite countless provocative tendencies of the Governor.

He assured the people that peace would soon return to the party and that everyone who laboured for the party would be happy with the victory recorded in 2023, which the lingering crisis did not allow them to celebrate.

“I assure you that all Members of the National Assembly from Benue State who won elections in 2023 are still intact, and with the guidance of our leader of North Central APC, Distinguished Senator George Akume, we shall coast unto victory in 2027, winning more grounds, despite the distractions currently plaguing the state”, Agbese concluded.