Massive defection hits PDP, other political parties in Benue
By Titus Atondu, Makurdi
As the Governor of Benue state Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia of the All Progressives Congress (APC) embark on a thank you tour across the 23 local government areas of the state to appreciate the Benue electorates for the overwhelming victory they gave him in the 2023 governorship election, the main opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and other political parties suffered serious set back with a total of 4,459 card carrying members of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other political parties dumped their parties to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State.
The mass defection took place on Tuesday in Sankera comprising of Logo, Ukum and Katsina Ala local government areas as well as Kwande and Ushongo local Government Areas on the first day of Governor Alia’s thank you tour.
Governor Alia thanked the people of Sankera for their overwhelming support during the 2023 governorship polls that made him victorious over other contenders.
Alia reiterated his administration resolve to return all the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) of armed herdsmen attacks back to their ancestral homes to continue with their normal farming activities.
He expressed concern that Sankera which is the hub for yam production in the country, is greatly hit by the attacks by the armed bandits.
The Governor maintained that the issue of security is not the responsibility of government alone, and enjoined all and sundry to synergies with him to rid the state off attacks.
He urged the people to form cooperative societies through which they would receive farm inputs and other benefits from his administration to develop themselves to be self reliant.
The Governor dismissed the widespread reports that he had borrowed huge sums of money from foreign financial institutions to execute infrastructural projects in the state and announced the award of contract for the construction of the Sankera-Chito-Vaase road to help check the worsening insecurity situation bedeviling the area.
He revealed that he had contacted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to assist the state construct more roads network in Sankera and has graciously approved the construction of the Katsina-Ala Head Bridge-Hausa Quarters/Victory Bible Church Wukari Junction; the Zaki-Biam Yam Market-Iwar Ior-Y Junction roads and urged the people to be patient with the President as he meant well for the state in the area of development projects.
Speaking on behalf of his constituents, the member representing Ukum, Logo and Ukum federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Solomon Wombo, endorsed Governor Alia for a second term.
Hon. Wombo said Sankera people have unanimously endorsed the governor to contest again because of the track record of achievements he has put on the sand of history within his one year in office which he said no governor of the state had ever recorded.
The federal lawmaker frowned at the growing insecurity situation bedeviling the area which he said is in dual fold including local militia and armed herdsmen and appealed to the governor to tackle the menace for the development of Sankera to enable residents go back to their farms.
Collaborating Hon. Wombo’s position, the governor’s Chief of Staff, Mr. Paul Biam, lauded the one year scorecard of the Alia’s administration which he noted have surpassed those of the immediate past governor.
Biam disclosed that the Alia’s administration has a programme of stomach infrastructure for the people after critical projects might have been attended to, to enable the people have the feel of government.
“After roads and other infrastructural development, the governor will resort to stomach infrastructure and the cries of hunger will be a thing of the past”.Biam assured.
In Kwande/Ushongo, Governor Alia also appreciated the people’s support to him, promised to reciprocate the gesture via the construction of the Adikpo-Mbape-Ada road to link the state to neighbouring Cross River state.
He commended chairman of the local government for lighting up Adikpo town within few days in office, but lamented the insecurity situation in the local government especially the armed herdsmen attacks and the illegal mining activities, and tasked traditional rulers to rise up by ensuring that anyone caught confronts the full wrath of the law.
The state Acting chairman of the APC, Mr. Benjamin Omakolo, urged the people to support the Alia’s administration to take the state to the next level of development.
