Alia Rallies Tivs’ Support for Sule’s Re-election

Igbawase Ukumba in Lafia

The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate for Benue State, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, Tuesday rallied the support of his Tiv kinsmen of Nasarawa State for the re-election of Governor Abdullahi Sule.

Addressing a special congress of Tiv Development Association (TIDA) in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, Alia said he was in the state for a special political request for the Tiv people of Nasarawa State to vote for Sule during the March 11 governorship/state Houses of Assembly polls.

The Benue State APC governorship candidate maintained that he needed someone in the governorship chair of Nasarawa State that believes in social justice.

“I need someone that believes that if you correct him, he will listen and take corrections. Someone who can make us a friend, brotherhood and partnership for a very greater unity among the two states.

“I want you (Tiv) to make this election personal. I want you to make this election not just about politics, but about the person I am defending here,” Alia emphasised.

He re-ehoed that Sule’s re-election would enable both of them to put heads together and put to rest the insecurity problem along the border area of the two states, whenever he (Alia) is elected governor.

“I fully know that the Government of Nasarawa State brings to the drawing table of my sitting governor insecurity issue, but it never worked,” he said.

The Benue State governorship hopeful, however, said he realised that why insecurity persists was because of one man who could no longer be accommodated.

“One man who we can no longer be allowed to destroy the long standing relationship between Nasarawa and Benue. One who is no longer with any name to associate with,” he said.

Responding, Sule expressed optimism that with him and Alia as governors, insecurity on the borderline of Nasarawa and Benue States would be over.

According to Sule, “If you (Alia) happened to be the governor of Benue State and I also emerge, our problem at the border will finish. Then we can open the border. That is what I am looking forward to.

“I am looking forward to peace so that our people can go to farm. Today, Benue State is number one in yam production, my own state is number two.”

The President of TIDA, Peter Ahemba, told the gathering that the socio-cultural organisation has come together to reaffirm its earlier endorsement of Sule’s re-election in November 2022.

Ahemba said: “We endorsed A.A Sule and made our position very clear that the Tiv nation is for Sule. We are here today to reiterate our ealier promise that we have a few days to go to the poll and vote for the Governor of Nasarawa State, A.A Sule.”