Benue PDP Flays Gov Alia For Victimizing Critics Of Government

By Ayodele Oni

People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue state has accused Governor Hyacinth Alia of victimizing perceived enemies of his administration with his latest decision to stop monthly stipends for pensioners.

The affected pensioners were said to have obtained garnishee order from the Court against the administration.

The State Chapter of the PDP in a statement claimed that “It has come to the attention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State that Governor Hyacinth Alia has threatened to remove from the pay-roll names of pensioners who have obtained garnishee orders from courts against his government.”

The statement, signed by Bemgba Iortyom

State Publicity Secretary, said “This threat of the governor, PDP learnt, was issued through his Commissioner of Justice and Public Order, Barr. Fidelis Mnyim, during a meeting with pensioners in Makurdi.

“We recall that only a few days back medical students of the Benue State University, Makurdi who had gone to Government House to peacefully air their grievances to the governor were allegedly brutalized by suspected thugs and subsequently suspended by the university authority.

“PDP firstly establishes that the protests and agitations springing across the state are largely the result of frustrations arising from the myriad of promises Governor Alia made to the people during the campaigns to turn their conditions to ‘Heaven on earth’ within just a 100 days in office.

“His threat against those elderly pensioners and the suppression of the medical students are, therefore, not only unjust and tactless, but never before witnessed in Benue, not even under military rule. since the state’s creation.

“Protests and agitations are rights of citizens which are enshrined in law and previous governors of the state handled them through civil negotiations and where the courts intervened, their judgements were complied with by the government.

“PDP is aware that students in the 90s under the aegis of the National Union of Benue State Students (NUBESS) had successfully resisted attempts by the military government to scrap the annual bursary allowance to them, and this was achieved through protests and negotiations with the then Military Administrator.

“The party also recalls that both George Akume and Gabriel Suswam during their separate times as governor had to go to the BSU campus to address protesting students who demanded to see them over their grievances.

“The garnishee orders which have drawn threat from Governor Alia were also secured against previous administrations in the state, including that of Samuel Ortom but none resorted to anger and threats.

“PDP cautions Governor Alia to refrain from intolerance and high handedness against citizens who are exercising their lawful rights in protesting against his failure to fulfill the promises he made to them during the campaigns.

“Rather than throw fits of anger and issue threats, the governor should soberly reflect over those promises he made during the campaigns, and seek forgiveness for his inability to fulfill them, as well as ask for more time.