August 08, (THEWILL) – Benue State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has raised the alarm that Governor Hyacinth Alia, has suspended constitutional rule in the state and is running the government under his watch as a dictatorship.
“We hereby emphasise the duty placed on all men of good conscience to rise up and resist with every lawful means, this danger looming over the state.”
The State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Bemgba Iortyom, in a statement in Makurdi on Tuesday, alleged that Governor Alia announced the award of contracts for the construction of 16 township roads in Makurdi, the sum for which he did not disclose, but which obviously runs into billions of naira by current cost standards.
“This is in addition to a contract earlier awarded by the governor for the renovation of the State Assembly Complex, the sum for which he also did not disclose, but which should be in the region of a billion naira.
“After 71 days in office, Governor Alia had not forwarded names of nominees for appointment into a cabinet as commissioners or Advisers, in gross violation of Section 147 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended by the Fifth Alteration No. 23 of 2023), which demands that he submits names of nominees for screening and confirmation as commissioners to be appointed into his cabinet within 60 days of his taking oath of office.”
The party also accused governor Alia of placing all financial accounts of the state government in various banks under freeze, and only him make withdrawals and closes them as he deems fit.
“By the award of those contracts, governor Alia has violated provisions of Benue State Financial Instructions (BSFS), which state unambiguously in Chapter 23, Section 2305 that the spending limit and approval permitted the governor in respect of contracts shall, in all requests not exceed fifty million Naira.”
The PDP further alleged that the procedure for processing biddings for contracts for subsequent awards to qualified contractors is laid down in the Benue State Public Procurement Law and involves the mandatory participation of the State Executive Council which the governor has failed to constitute at the moment.
“PDP understands that Governor Alia is inclined to discharging the business of government as a sole administrator, a despot, a dictator, under a system not regulated by due process and rule of law, but which permits him unlimited powers.”
Mr Iortyom assured that the party will lead the charge in resisting through all lawful means, to safeguard the sanctity of democratic system of government which is in practice in Nigeria and Benue State; saying PDP will resist the budding dictatorship being incubated by Governor Alia in Benue State.
Efforts to get reactions from the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Sir Tersoo Kula, failed as his phone line could not be reached.
