…Say people deserve practical solutions to insecurity, not a blame game
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State on Thursday expressed deep concern over the disturbing speed of attacks and killings of innocent citizens in the state by armed terrorist herdsmen, ‘with nothing done by the Governor Hyacinth Alia administration to end the carnage’.
The opposition party blamed the Governor for not fulfilling his covenant with the people he made in 2023 “to end insecurity and return Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to their ancestral homes within 100 days in office”.
According to the party in a statement issued on Thursday by its State Publicity Secretary, Bright Yima Antyo, the Governor was being deeply distracted by political anxiety from addressing the worsening insecurity situation bedevilling the state.
The main opposition PDP was reacting to an allegation by the Governor’s Technical Adviser on Media and Strategic Communication, Solomon Iorpev, titled “Why PDP and Its Candidate’s Security Promises Lack Credibility in Benue”.
PDP noted that the people deserve practical solutions to problems confronting the state and not blame-shifting by the governor, especially “on how he has utilised the enormous security votes and federal support available to him to confront the worsening insecurity across the state”.
Mr Antyo recalled that the PDP as a party had, during the administration of Chief Samuel Ortom between 2017 – 2023, made remarkable strides in addressing insecurity in the state by enacting the historic Benue State Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law, a landmark legislation that became a model for other states.
“Ortom also established and equipped the Livestock Guards with operational vehicles and necessary logistics to enforce the law. Sadly, since May 29, 2023, the Alia administration has failed to demonstrate the same commitment to implementing and strengthening this law, leaving many Benue people wondering whether the law still enjoys the support of the present government.
“Admittedly, Chief Ortom inherited an already difficult security situation; his administration never resorted to excuses or blame games. Instead, it pursued practical and courageous measures to protect the people.
“Beyond enacting the anti-open grazing law, his administration consistently acknowledged the realities of insecurity and worked with relevant security agencies to confront them.
“Unlike the current administration, it never sought to downplay attacks for political convenience or shift responsibility to helpless victims.
“The Ortom-led administration played a pivotal role in attracting Operation Whirl Stroke, a special military intervention that continues to serve Benue and neighbouring States.
Today, the operation is reportedly constrained by inadequate logistics, even as the State continues to receive substantial security votes every month. This raises legitimate questions about how security votes are being deployed under the Alia administration.
“Despite receiving huge security votes, the Alia’s administration has repeatedly cited the procurement of patrol vehicles and motorcycles as its major security intervention.
“Yet, the people of Benue are left wondering where these vehicles and motorcycles are, as they are scarcely visible in communities and local government areas where attacks continue almost unabated”.
The PDP spokesman, while regretting the astronomical rise in insecurity in recent years in the state, expressed optimism that the emergence of it’s candidate for next year’s general election, Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, has unsettled the Alia administration, pointing out however that “Political anxiety should not distract the government from fulfilling the promises it made to the people of Benue in 2023, particularly the pledge to end insecurity and return internally displaced persons (IDPs), to their ancestral homes within its first 100 days in office.
The PDP therefore urged Governor Alia to abandon the politics of blame and propaganda and focus on delivering practical solutions that the people of the state yearn for.
“The lives of innocent citizens should never become casualties of political rhetoric. Benue people voted for leadership that would end insecurity and facilitate the safe return of IDPs, not endless excuses and shifting of responsibility.
“The Alia-led APC government does not have the impetus to say PDP, and its candidate lacks credibility to promise security; people of Benue deserve results, not blame games. The time for excuses has long passed”.
