By Amos Aar
BENUE STATE Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, on Thursday inaugurated his appointed local government caretaker committee chairpersons whose tenure he extended by six months alongside some new ones appointed to replace some who had been sacked.
Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the governor, Mr Tersoo Kula, revealed in a statement on Friday that the caretaker chairpersons were sworn in by Governor Alia at Government House, Makurdi on Thursday.
National Record had reported on Wednesday that the Benue State House of Assembly had approved Alia’s request to extend the tenure of the caretaker committees by six months.
According Kula, “the State House of Assembly had on Thursday, screened and confirmed the list of nominees sent to them by the governor, replacing only Mr. Timothy Hembaor, the earlier nominee from Ushongo local government area, with Hon. Mvendaga Atetan”.
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The newly inaugurated local government bosses, according to Kula, include Hon. Guda Terkimbi Dennis (Vandeikya), Hon. Philip Achuah (Konshisha), Hon. Shaku Justine (Katshina Ala), Hon. Neji Vitalis Terhile (Kwande), Hon. Avar Verlumun (Gboko), Hon. Roy Terna Ashirga (Tarkaa), Hon. Agber Cephas (Buruku), Hon. James Dwem (Makurdi), Hon. Mrs Comfort Agbo (Gwer East), Hon. Henry Agba (Gwer-West), Hon. Unongo Simon (Guma) Hon. Mvendaga Atetan (Ushongo) and Hon. Iorzaa Victor (Ukum).
Others are Hon. Benjamin Uzenda (Logo), Hon. Mrs Gloria Ogebe (Ado), Hon. Barr. Philip Ebenyaku (Agatu), Hon. Ochai Alidu (Apa), Hon. Adekpe Onum (Obi), Hon. Emmanuel Agada Aba (Ogbadibo), Hon. Adugbo Idoko Fred (Ohimini), Hon. Dr. Wilson Eche (Otukpo), Hon. Onyilo Douglas Omale (Okpokwu) and Hon. Ire Arubi (Oju).
Kula explained that Alia’s request for the extension of the tenure of the caretaker committees was to allow BSIEC “enough time to prepare and conduct the local government council elections in the state”.
However, when contacted on Friday to find out what might have posed impediment to the timetable earlier released by the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC) to conduct local government council polls on July 6, 2024, Information Officer of the commission, Ngodoo Ioryem, said there was no problem.
“There is no problem. If there is any official statement, we will have a press statement and you will get to know. But for now, there is nothing to tell you about it,” Ioryem told our reporter on phone.
