By Amos Aar
THE DEPUTY Governor of Benue State, Sam Ode, has debunked rumours that he is involved in an alleged plot to impeach his principal, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia.
Ode cleared the air during the stakeholders meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) held Tuesday at Government House, Makurdi even as a faction of the party led by Austin Agada earlier kicked against the meeting, describing it as illegal.
“Before I give the vote of thanks, I want to issue a disclaimer. If there is an impeachment of the governor, as it is prescribed in the constitution, the man who steps in is the deputy governor. I want to state here today unequivocally that I do not covet the office of the Governor of Benue State. The Bible, because I am a Christian, has warned us against coveting the office of another, it is better you look for your own”, the deputy governor went biblical.
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No Impeachment plan
Also dismissing the impeachment speculation, the Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Hon. Aõndona Dajoh, represented by Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Saater Tiseer, assured that there will be no impeachment against Governor Alia throughout his tenure and promised the unalloyed support of the state legislators.
“The governor is working and willing to take the next four years and our mandate is four years, 2023 to 2027, subject to your renewal and within this time of our mandate as a state assembly, there’s nothing like anything impeachment”, the speaker stated.
Vote of confidence on Alia
Speaking on behalf of elders and Zone A stakeholders, Senator Barnabas Gemade passed a vote of confidence on Alia and declared that anyone who stands against Governor Alia “will have the stakeholders to contend with”. He described the current government as young, intelligent and strong, adding that it has brought complete change to Benue State.
Benue APC is One
Earlier in his address, Governor Alia affirmed that Benue APC remains one and indivisible.
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“For those who are daydreaming of the divisiveness of the APC in the state, wake up! The train of the APC in the state is one and it is moving fast. Join us, let us continue with the growth and the developments,” the governor solicited.
Alia who presented his scorecard to the stakeholders also briefed them on the level of execution of some ongoing infrastructural projects embarked upon by his administration.
“As I speak, the Ministry of Works is working on roads amounting to 50 roads all over the state that must be completed in the next 12 months. The underpass at Gboko is advancing, the underpass at Wurukum is having all and getting the logistics being accomplished.
Insecurity Concerns
Responding on behalf of Benue Zone B people, a chieftain of the party, Mr Hinga Biem, who applauded Alia’s performance in other areas however told him to intensify efforts in the area of security that is affecting Benue people.
“I want to thank you for the security efforts that are on. But I also want to appeal to you, Your Excellency; it is not yet Uhuru, we cannot go to bed with our eyes closed. While that is being done, let us watch our backs because nobody knows the intention of those who are terrorising us”, Biem appealed.
On his part, Hon. Nelson Alapa, a former member of the House of Representatives, who spoke for Benue Zone C, condemned the ongoing leadership tussle in the Benue APC, pointing out that the constitution of the party provides that the governor is the leader of the party in state.
