Hyacinth Alia, the governor of Benue State, has been under fire from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for allegedly playing a blame game over the state’s murders.
Alia allegedly accused prominent lawmakers in Abuja and the National Assembly of inciting killings, harboring, and feeding those responsible for the state’s crises in an interview with Channels Television.
In a statement released on Saturday and signed by its Publicity Secretary, Tim Nyor, the PDP’s Benue chapter responded to the governor’s accusations by calling them an attempt at political escapism that is reckless and dangerously diverts attention from the serious and immediate steps that must be taken to address the situation.
According to the PDP, prior administrations acknowledged the issue and referred to it as “attacks by armed herdsmen” without rashly assigning responsibility.
It is troubling that the Alia administration’s attitude to insecurity appears to lack rationale and logic, the opposition party said.
Instead of using unfounded propaganda, the PDP urged Alia to submit thorough security reports to the right authorities for necessary action.
The governor may be immune from prosecution, but he must remember that the Abuja politicians he attacks do not have the same protection, the party stated.
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“It is important to note that Benue’s security challenges are not isolated in Nigeria,” the statement says. Similar risks are faced by neighboring states like Plateau and Taraba, but their administrations have demonstrated a more responsible stance by recognizing the security realities and acting to mitigate them.
Instead of addressing the underlying reasons of insecurity, Governor Alia has instead concentrated on shifting blame, alternating between blaming foreign invaders, Abuja politicians, and other scapegoats.
We need to know if Abuja representatives are the only ones responsible for the attacks in Plateau, Enugu, Taraba, or elsewhere. Or is a political witch hunt unfairly targeting Benue?
It is still the case that herdsmen assaults in Benue occurred before Governor Alia took office, as they did under Governors Samuel Ortom and Gabriel Suswam.
The governor’s discourse is tainted by misinformation, false charges, and diversions rather than tackling the core problems.
“Benue’s security issues must not be disregarded or given up for political reasons.
It is not only reckless but also a risky misinterpretation of the issue to imply or explicitly assert that representatives of Abuja are funding herdsmen terrorism.
“Instead of using flimsy propaganda, he should submit thorough security reports to the appropriate authorities for appropriate action if he truly believes his concerns.
The PDP calls on Governor Alia to put an end to the blame-game and concentrate on responsible, inclusive, and practical security measures. At this crucial moment, true leadership necessitates integrity, accountability, and a sense of unity—qualities essential for a leader who also carries the moral burden of a Reverend.
