November 11, (THEWILL) – Benue State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the arbitrary banning and incessant disruption of thanksgiving services and peaceful assembly by appointees of Governor Hyacinth Alia and local government chairmen.
The party cited the disruption of Sunday’s thanksgiving service in honour of the Senator representing Benue North West Senatorial District, Titus Zam, at NKST church Naka in Gwer West by the council, Hon. Victor Torsaa Ormim.
“We consider this a blatant violation of citizens’ rights to freedom of worship, a fundamental tenet of our democracy. This sacrilegious aberration appears to have become a pattern since the beginning of this administration.”
In a statement in Makurdi on Monday, the State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Tim Nyor, recalled that on Sunday, May 12, 2024, the former Caretaker Chairman of Konshisha local government Council, Mr Philip Achua, in company of thugs invaded and disrupted a thanksgiving mass at the Annunciation Catholic Rectory, in Tsuwe Daka, Konshisha Local Government Area in honour of the member representing Jechira Federal Constituency, Hon. Sesoo Ikpagher.
“This attack was supervised by the then caretaker chairman and the Commissioner for Humanitarian and Disaster Management in Benue State, Mr Aondowase Kunde.
According to the statement, a few weeks later, in the same Konshisha, the former caretaker chairman of the Council, Mr Philip Achua, in the company of thugs, attempted to stop a thanksgiving service in honour of Dr Mathias Byuan, at NKST Agidi, Konshisha local government but was resisted by the people.
The party further pointed out that on the 30th of June 2024, the then Caretaker Chairman for Guma Local Government, Unongo Simon, attempted to stop a thanksgiving/church building fundraising service at NKST Daudu in Guma local government, where the former Benue State governor, now Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Senator George Akume, was billed to be the Special Guest.
“Again, on July 26th, 2024, a church service at NKST Ihugh, Vandeikya local government, where the Senator representing Benue North West Senatorial District, Senator Emmanuel Udende was a special guest, was called off and no service was held at the church on that fateful Sunday, on directives of the then Caretaker Chairman of Vandeikya local government Council, Mr Dennis Guda”, the statement added.
While calling for the end of the ugly trend, the PDP pointed out that Benue has the fundamental right to celebrate their blessings and express their gratitude to God without fear of governmental interference.
It, therefore, called on citizens to stand firm against any democratic despotism, and remain vigilant and united in protecting democracy and fundamental rights.
Efforts to get a reaction from the State Organising Secretary, Caretaker Committee of the All Progressives Congress, Mr James Ornguga, failed as he could not be reached at the time of filing this report.
