By Amos Aar
THE SACKED Chairman of the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC), Dr John Chen, has adduced reasons why Governor Hyacinth Alia gave him boot, an action believed in some quarters to be as a result of alleged incompetence.
Dr Chen, while reacting to his unceremonious sack, took to his Facebook wall, where he shared a letter to which he attributed his removal.
It could be recalled that the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Governor Alia, Mr Tersoo Kula, had last Thursday announced the removal of Dr Chen claiming that his principal took the action following an alleged resolution by the Benue State House of Assembly over alleged ‘lack of good judgement’ by Dr Chen.
“The Assembly accused the BSIEC chairman of lacking good judgement as to which decision will appeal to the greater majority of all stakeholders, and also that his actions so far in office fall short of the public interest,” Kula said in the statement.
Following Chen’s removal, the Assembly swiftly confirmed in less than 24 hours the appointment of his successor nominated by the governor, Richard Terlumun Tombowua, and directed Chen to handover to him immediately.
On his Facebook wall, Chen attributed his removal to a letter he had written to the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), dated July 29, 2024.
In the letter, which he also shared on Facebook, he requested for the submission of the list of names of the Executive members of the Benue State Chapter of the APC.
“The letter. The problem,” Chen wrote on his Facebook wall. The letter entitled: “REQUEST FOR SUBMISSION OF THE LIST OF THE EXECUTIVE MEMBERS OF THE BENUE STATE APC,” reads:
“As the Chairman of the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC), I am writing to formally request the submission of the list of names of the Executive Members of the Benue State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“This request is made to facilitate seamless communication and collaboration between the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission and the Executive Committee of the APC in preparation for the upcoming Local Government Council elections in Benue State.
“Accurate and up-to-date information on the leadership of the Benue State APC will enable us to ensure effective coordination and engagement throughout the electoral process. This is crucial to maintaining transparency, fairness, and efficiency in the conduct of the elections.
“We kindly ask that the list be submitted to our office at your earliest convenience to allow ample time for necessary arrangements and consultations. We look forward to your prompt response and cooperation in this matter.
“Thank you for your attention to this important request. Please do not hesitate to contact me directly if you require any further information or clarification.”
An official of the APC confided in National Record that Chen was caught in the web of the feud between Governor Alia and his estranged godfather, Senator George Akume, the Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF).
He said Chen, who was pro-Akume was finding it tough with Alia and his royalists, the reason Chen wrote to the national secretariat of the APC to take orders from there.
Dr Chen’s sack has come at a time political parties have already started zoning chairmanship position across the 23 local government areas of the state preparatory to the council polls scheduled to hold in less than two months.
