…Alia’ CPS debunks allegations

By Peter Duru, Makurdi

The House of Representatives member for Ado/Ogbadibo/Okpokwu Federal Constituency, Chief Philip Agbese has explained that the rift between the Benue All Progressives Congress, APC, caucus in the National Assembly and Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue state is a function of disagreements on policy issues and party manifesto.

Addressing the media weekend in Makurdi, Chief Agbese maintained that the rift and disagreement they have with the Governor had continued to linger because he deviated from the promises and commitments made to the people during the campaigns “that is why many of us are angry.”

Hear him: “yes, there is rift. If this disagreement between us and the governor on policy issues and party manifestoes does not in any way suggest there is a rift, then I wonder what is rift.

“But if I still understand English, there is a major disagreement between us and the Governor of Benue State which he is very much aware of and he has continued to pretend over the issue. But we cannot continue to pretend.”

Cgief Agbese who maintained that contrary to claims by the Governor’s allies that they the lawmakers rode on his crest to win elections, stressed that they contributed in no small measure to the victory of the Governor in the last election saying “I followed him to Ado Local Government Area, LGA, and I know what I said to my people to present him to them. I followed him to Okpokwu and Ogbadigbo LGAs and I know what I told the people.

“My other colleagues like Dickson Tarkighir followed him to Guma LGA and we know what he told his people. We promised the people of Guma that within 100 days in office we will take the IDPs back to their homes, we will be able to build structures that will accommodate them back at their ancentral homes and others.”

Chief Agbese who also alleged that they were angry because the people of Benue South District and other Tiv speaking areas were being marginalised by the administration in the distribution of appointments while the Governor’s kinsmen were getting all the main appointments insisted that the governor had failed to meet the expectations of the people.

He stated that the Governor’s claim of regular payment of salaries and pensions, a statutory responsibility of government, should not be celebrated by the administration as an achievement.

Hear him: “He is here telling our people about salary, is it about salary? If you have paid salary today and you buy fuel to travel to your village without good roads and security, are you going to be enjoying that salary.

“Did the past government not pay salary? Of course, we all agree that there was a along period that they had issues with payment of salaries but they paid salaries. And we (APC government) have not done anything differently.

“So what’s the need for us APC to campaign in the first instance asking the people to give us their mandate if we are coming to pay salaries and do nothing for the masses.”

But reacting, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Tersoo Kula debunked the allegations raised by the lawmaker insisting that Governor Alia was on the same page with the people and had kept faith with them.

According to him, “Governor Alia has demystified governance in Benue. Payment of salaries is not an achievement but when it becomes a myth, then someone demystified that, it becomes an achievement.

“If payment of pension was a myth and someone they said was not a politician came and demystified it, then it becomes an achievement.

“Today, the streets are lightened up in Makurdi and people are surprised that a state government could do this. Within six months, the Governor has delivered dividends of democracy which surpassed previous governors in the state. He has demystified governance. He has been building roads, distributing fertiliser at subsidised rates and palliatives. And even transport fares have dropped because of what he has done in the sector and lots more.”