By Akinwale Kasali
There is crisis in the All Progressives Congress, APC, Benue State. It has led to the sealing of the Party Secretariat by the Benue State Police Command.
The order to seal the APC Party Secretariat in the State came from Governor Hyacinth Alia, who put an embargo all forms of political meetings and gatherings in the state.
In the letter dated February 27, 2024, Alia through his Chief of Staff, Paul Biam banned all forms of political meetings and gathering in the state owing to the volatile security situation in the State.
The said letter read: “I write to inform you that His Excellency Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alla has banned all political gatherings in any form, be it inter or intra party or groups in Benue State till further notice.
“This has become necessary following Intelligence on the volatility of the security atmosphere in the state.
“It is certainly not news to you how the security atmosphere in the state has charged following the unprecedented influx of armed herdsmen in the state. You are by this notification invited to enforce this directive.”
The APC Chairman in the State, Austin Agada and his Executives had scheduled political meeting slated for Friday March 1 and 3, 2024, but was called off, following the order of the Governor to the dissatisfaction of the Agada led Executives.
This indicates that the relationship between Governor Alia and the Star Party Chairman has gone sour.
The meeting was called by the Executives of the APC with selected stakeholders and the newly appointed Federal Housing Authority, FHA, Executive Director Housing, Finance and Accounts, Matthias Byuan, in Makurdi, the State Capital.
Before the sealing of the Secretariat, the State Police Commnad in a letter signed by a Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP, Samuel Gimba for the Commissioner of Police, addressed to Agada, advised that the meetings be called off.
The letter read , “I refer to your letter dated February 7, 2024 notifying my office of your intention to hold the State Executive Committee, SEC, meeting of the APC as well as stakeholders meeting of the party on March 1 and 3, 2024 respectively.
“I wish to however request you to suspend the said meetings and all other forms of political meetings till further notice in view of the directive of the Executive Governor of Benue State suspending the holding of all forms of political meetings and gatherings in the State due to the volatility of the security atmosphere in the state.”
Acting on the strength of the correspondences, the Police Friday morning as early 6:am sealed off the State Secretariat of the APC on J S Tarka Road in Makurdi with stern looking Police personnel taking charge of the roads leading to the Secretariat.
