The Benue State National Assembly caucus has chided Governor Hyacinth Alia for what it called his failure to honour the peace initiatives put in place by President Bola Tinubu to resolve the crisis within the All Progressives Congress in Benue.
The APC chapter in the North Central State has been in disarray since the inauguration of Alia, who won the governorship election on the platform of the party.
Attempts by various stakeholders of the party, especially members of the National Assembly from the state, to get the governor on a roundtable for the sake of peace and progress of the party have not been fruitful.
Despite interventions from the presidency, the national leadership of APC, and the Benue paramount ruler, the Tor Tiv, Prof James Ayatse, that Alia should reconcile with his political benefactor and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume; the rift amongst party members and stakeholders continue to worsen.
Recently, the party produced two parallel chairmanship and councillorship candidates for each seat ahead of the October 5, 2024, local government elections.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja on Thursday, in reaction to reports that Alia shunned the President’s emissary meditating on the Benue crisis; the spokesperson of the Benue National Assembly and Federal Appointees Caucus, Philip Agbese, described it as a worrisome development.
“The Benue National Assembly caucus is not surprised. It is his (Alia’s) nature and character to disrespect highly placed individuals and authorities.
“It is as a clog 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 Tinubu in making sure peace returns to the party in Benue, ” Agbese said.
The lawmaker added that senior Nigerian citizens could now see that the problem was with Alia, “who wants to destroy the APC in Benue State for his narrow interest”.
He, however, expressed optimism that the crisis would soon be over “as Mr. President is desirous of seeing a united APC family in Benue”.
Agbese, who represents Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency, 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.
“The members of the National Assembly from Benue are still intact in the party, despite countless provocative tendencies of the governor.
“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.
“We will win more grounds, despite the distractions currently plaguing the state,” Agbese added.
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