Tinubu Urged to Take Action Against Benue Gov’s Subversion of LG

Folalumi Alaran in Abuja

The Coalition of Patriotic Nigerians and Conference of Registered Political Parties (CRPP) in Benue State have called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take immediate action against Governor Hyacinth Alia over his alleged subversion of local governments in the state.

In a letter to the President, the groups expressed deep concern and disturbance over Governor Alia’s actions, which they described as a “direct affront to the principles of democracy and the rule of law.”

The letter co-signed by Andrew Longyem and Oliver Omenka said: “We are shocked and dismayed by Governor Alia’s blatant disregard for the judiciary’s decision and his subsequent usurping of the powers of local governments.

“This is a clear violation of the constitutional framework and a threat to democratic governance in Nigeria.”

The Supreme Court had ruled on July 11, 2024, that the Federal Government should pay local government funds directly to the exclusive accounts of the 774 local governments in the country.

However, Governor Alia defied this ruling by directing caretaker chairmen to inaugurate their committee members in secret, a move the groups described as “a severe violation of the country’s constitutional framework.”

“Governor Alia’s actions are a brazen display of despotism and corruption. He has truncated the lawful tenure of local government administrations in the state, replaced them with caretaker committees, and now seeks to control the affairs of local governments through illegitimate means.

“This is a dangerous precedent that could embolden other state governors to similarly disregard court decisions and concentrate power in their hands.”

The groups urged President Tinubu to direct the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate Governor Alia’s alleged diversion of over N60 billion belonging to the 23 local governments of Benue State.

The letter added: “We implore Mr. President to take decisive action to prevent further subversion of democratic institutions in Benue State.

“The Federal Government must swiftly intervene to enforce the Supreme Court judgment and ensure that allocations meant for local governments are paid directly to their bank accounts as mandated by the apex court.

“We commend President Tinubu for his efforts in restoring the autonomy of local governments and urge him to take immediate action to address this situation. Failure to do so will only embolden Governor Alia’s impunity and undermine the foundations of democracy in Nigeria.”

The groups called on President Tinubu to use his good office to redress the wave of lawlessness being perpetrated in Benue State and ensure that democratic governance is upheld.

The letter was copied to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the National Security Adviser, the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), the Chairman of the EFCC, and the Chairman of the ICPC.