By Amos Aar
BENUE State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, has announced the appointment of 23 “head point men”, one for each local government area, as part of efforts to strengthen the All Progressives Congress (APC) structure across the state and ensure better grassroots engagement.
The appointments, unveiled on Saturday during the APC expanded caucus meeting in Makurdi, mark a major political restructuring within the party, with observers suggesting that the new “point men” may assume roles that overlap those of existing Gubernatorial Liaison Officers (GLOs) and Commissioners.
Governor Alia described the appointees as “head point men,” tasked with coordinating political activities and ensuring equitable distribution of government interventions in their respective local government areas.
Each head point man, he said, will work with four other supporting point men at the local level.
“You are the first contact your people must have with government. You are chief servants who must report to me and to the party what is happening in your LGAs,” Alia said.
“Work in harmony with all appointees, council chairmen, elders, and advisory councils to build camaraderie and ensure government programmes reach the people.”
He explained that the initiative was designed to complement existing party structures at the local government and ward levels, stressing that the move was necessary due to lapses in the distribution of government benefits in the past.
“…If there’s need, you should be the first person, your people should be able to smell you. But it was possibly so because maybe they didn’t have a point head. Everybody assumed point man power. So, things could not work”, he disclosed.
Governor Alia charged the point men to embrace fairness and unity, urging all government appointees, lawmakers, and party officials to cooperate with them to consolidate APC’s dominance ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He described the structure as “a unique model of deepening democratic participation,” adding that the appointees would serve as the bridge between the government and the grassroots.
“You must connect with the people and ensure that what belongs to them reaches them. Anyone found diverting public resources meant for the people will be held accountable,” he warned.
Alia also directed the point men to identify 200 artisans across the state for empowerment opportunities and compile the names of 800 young people willing to undergo overseas skills acquisition training. Those selected, he said, must present a certificate of fitness from Rev. Fr. Moses Orshio Adasu University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi.
The governor urged them to support the ongoing online voter registration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and to help reconcile aggrieved party members.
Meanwhile, Governor Alia announced the formation of a reconciliation committee under the APC Elders Forum and Advisory Council to unify party members and groups ahead of future elections.
“My desire is to see a united APC where every member contributes to the growth of our party. There is no reason for division when many from the opposition are willing to join us,” he stated.
Alia assured party faithful that inclusion in appointments, contracts, and other governance processes would be open and transparent.
Recall that on December 2, 2024, Governor Alia approved the appointment of 23 Gubernatorial Liaison Officers (GLOs), one per local government area. However, with the creation of the 23 “head point men,” political observers have raised concerns over a possible turf war among GLOs, Commissioners, and the new appointees over control and influence at the local government level.
