Nigerian Concord Newspaper
Facts have emerged on why the Governor of Benue State, Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia decided to back out of his earlier pact with the leadership of the National Democratic Congress, NDC ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Investigation by this newspaper indicated that Governor Alia had last month met with the Presidential candidate of the NDC, Mr. Peter Obi with a sealed arrangement that the Governor’s camp of the All Progressive Congress in Benue state would work for Obi to win the state in the coming presidential election.
Also, Father Hyacinth Alia agreed with Peter Obi that he would give required supports and logistics to all the National Assembly candidates of the NDC in Benue State to win the election as well.
This is because all the governor’s National Assembly candidates were substituted with Senator George Akume’s candidates by the National Working Committee of the All Progressive Congress, APC.
According to Father Alia, he must ensure that none of the National Assembly candidates including President Bola Tinubu wins in Benue state as a way to prove to the president that Senator George Akume doesn’t have the grip of the electorates in the state.
According to sources, Governor Alia made available funds running to billions of Naira available to the National Assembly candidates of the NDC through the senatorial candidate of the party for Benue Northwest Senatorial Zone, Mr. Utaan Conrad when he visited the governor two months ago to seal the pact.
However, the relationship went sour two weeks ago when Governor Alia met Peter Obi in company of the governorship candidate of the NDC in Benue state, Mr. Terhemba Shija with a demand that he (Obi) should ask Shija to step down for him two weeks before the next governorship election as a pay back for the billions of Naira he (Alia) had dropped and would still drop to ensure that Peter Obi and all the NDC National Assembly candidates defeat the APC and other parties in Benue state.
According to sources, it was at the meeting which was held at the Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro, Abuja that Shija clearly stated that he would not step down for Father Alia, stressing that the governor didn’t give that as a condition to support Peter Obi and all the NDC National Assembly candidates against President Bola Tinubu and the APC National Assembly candidates.
Shija who reportedly stormed out of the meeting, leaving Peter Obi behind stated that Governor Alia was free to withdraw his support from Obi and the NDC National Assembly candidates if he wished as he was not ready to step down for the governor or anyone .
The development reportedly triggered Alia’s anger which made him to instruct some APC youths in Benue to attack Peter Obi and his entourage on their way to the IDPs camp in Yelwata last week.
In a related development, this newspaper has uncovered a fresh pact between Governor Hyacinth Alia and the two governors of the Allied People’s Movement, APM, Mr. Seyi Makinde and Mr. Bala Muhammed of Oyo and Bauchi states respectively.
Before the pact which was sealed among the trio last week, Governor Hyacinth Alia and his men stated the only way to embarrass Senator George Akume and make him lose relevance and his position as the SGF after the next general elections is by making President Bola Tinubu and all the APC National Assembly candidates lose Benue during the elections.
According to findings by this newspaper, Governor Hyacinth Alia has provided funds and logistics for the few APM National Assembly candidates in order to ensure that the president and his National Assembly candidates lose in Benue state.