Starrays
By Moses Duke.(NASS, Abuja).
The Benue Caucus of Federal Lawmakers rejected the allegations from Governor Hyacinth Alia accusing them alongside other Abuja politicians as being responsible for sponsoring fulani militia for Benue Killings.
The Leader of the Caucus, Sen. Abba Morro representing Benue South,who doubles as Senate Minority Leader dropped this hint during a press conference organized by Benue State Caucus of National Assembly yesterday in his conference office at the Senate Wing of the National Assembly , Auja.
According to him, Gov. Alia has made several contradictory public statements on Benue killings. which are un becoming of a status of a governor . In his view, the governor at a point accused them of being responsible forBenue killings, at another in a national television admitted that the killings were from foreign Fulani militia while in one church program at Ikpayongo Village in the state , he feigned ignorance on Benue killings , telling the world that Senator Emmuel Udende and himself were misleading the Leadership of the Senate on Benue killings in their separate motions on the floor of the Senate in an attempt to update the leadership of the Senate on the gravity of the killings in the state.
Sen Morro also stressed that the governor instead of leveraging on that report as visualized in their separate motions to the Senate.
To the dismay of Benue people’s, trivialized the killings In his statement, described the scenario as mere skirmishes.
Sen Morro as well accused the governor for not doing enough to bring the killings to an end accusing the governor of always staying in his comfort zone in Makurdi Government House, any time there are attacks on Benue people while National assembly members are always in their constituencies attending to their constituents.
The Senate Minority Leader also accused Gov. Alia of not willing to synergize with members of the national assembly to address the killings in Benue state as some of his colleagues who are confronted with similar scenarios are doing as well as not implementing the open grazing Law even when the senate through sen Zam, ‘s motion on open grazing directed him to implement it.
The Caucus Leader says the governor takes delight in attacking them as ” Ubokoti mbair” Mbaiorov In the words Se Abba morro”“Ordinarily, we had dismissed the rantings of the Governor as true to the character of a failed Governor. In the past, Governor Alia had characterized Benue National Assembly members as “bokoti” people which literally translates to “useless people,” when the National Assembly members raised serious concerns about the incapacity of the governor to frontally confront insecurity in Benue State that has rendered several Benue indigenes dead, injured many, destroyed properties worth billions of naira, disabled the people from farming and engaging in productive businesses.“When Senators Emmanuel Udende and My self raised a motions on the insecurity in Benue State, Governor Alia asserted that we were misleading the Senate and Nigerians.
Similarly, the governor has blatantly refused to implement the Open Grazing Prohibition Law enacted by the Benue State House of Assembly, even when the Senate resolution to a bill sponsored by Senator Titus Zam directed him to implement the Open Grazing Prohibition Law of Benue State.
“Unfortunately, in a church service in Ikpayongo, Benue State, earlier this year, Governor Alia stated that there had been no killings in Benue State since he assumed office as governor.
“When some citizens were killed in Bonta, in Konshisha LGA, and Ukpute in Oju LGA, Governor Alia characterized the happenings as “mere skirmishes.
” Yet Governor Alia, in one of his irresponsible outings on national television, uncharitably accused members of the National Assembly from Benue State as sponsors and masterminds of the killings in Benue State.
“Never in the history of Benue State has a governor been known to speak from both sides of his mouth on issues, especially those that concern the lives and property of the people. In one breath, Governor Alia would allege that attacks against Benue communities are about land grabbing by the invaders; in another breath.
“ We members of the Caucus of the National Assembly from Benue State, therefore, unequivocally and without any fear of contradiction, deny the allegation that they are sponsoring Fulani militia to attack and kill their people.
“Collectively and/or individually, members of the National Assembly have contributed immensely to the solution of the current situation and challenges bedevilling Benue State. No week passes by that members are not in their constituencies to bury and/or commiserate with their constituents who have lost their lives or loved ones, while the governor continues to stay in the comfort of Government House, Makurdi, until recently a whimper of condemnation of the perpetrators of these heinous crimes,” he explained.
Other highlights of the press conference were accusations from Sen. Udende against the governor for not demonstrating the willingness to address the recommendations of the stakeholders ,’ report from the Sankera community on the crisis in Sankera while responding to a follow up question from the press on whether there have been any efforts to resolve the crisis by stakeholders before going to press? Some of the dignatories at the occasion were S en. Udende, Sen. Titus Zam , Rep. Regina, Hon. Sekav, Hon. Tarkighiir amongst others.
