Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia has raised the alarm over alleged plots by some prominent politicians in the state to destabilize his government.
Alia alleged that Senate Minority Leader, Abba Moro, and the lawmaker representing Ado, Okpokwu and Ogbadibo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Philip Agbese, were behind the alleged plot to cause mayhem in the state.
A statement released on Friday by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Tersoo Kula, said Benue people should ask Moro to explain what he knows about the insecurity in the state.
The statement added that the claim made by Agbese, during a press conference in Abuja, that the state’s security vote has been raised to N3 billion, was false.
Alia also disowned a purported letter sent to herdsmen to come into the state for open grazing.
The statement reads, “Devious plans by some forces in Abuja comprising some members of the National Assembly, to destabilize Gov. Hyacinth Alia’s administration has continued to gather steam.
“We have smelled this on many fronts, particularly, following the torrent of divisive concoctions sponsored in the media by these same agents of underdevelopment.
“Abba Moro: He is a serial beneficiary of the caretaker committee system in Benue State under the same 1999 constitution as amended. He served in the same capacity in Okpokwu LGA some years ago.
“Startlingly, Moro alleged during a press briefing in Abuja recently that the dissolution of the former LG councils by the Benue State House of Assembly is the cause of insecurity in Benue State. Curiously, he failed to buttress his assertion.
“The government of Benue state is worried because such insinuation coming from a person of Moro standing should not be overlooked.
“Benue people should ask Moro to unravel more about what he knows of the root cause of insecurity as it relates to the dissolution of elected LG councils. Our suspicion is that Moro may be discreetly cooking crooked plans to destabilize the state to justify his assertion.
“We view his fabrications as a deliberate attempt at misinforming the people with the vicious aim of creating an uprising against the government of His Excellency, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia.
“Agbese blatantly, during a press conference in Abuja, lied about security votes for the state. We make bold to state unequivocally here that the security vote for Benue has never risen to N1bn needless to mention N3bn under Rev. Fr. Alia’s administration.
“So, Agbese will surely be provided an avenue for him to prove beyond reasonable doubt such unfounded allegations against His Excellency, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia and the Government of Benue State.
“We read in the media insinuations that a letter was sent to herdsmen to return to Benue for open grazing.
“However, it would be recalled that during the burial ceremony of the late Tor Sankera at Katsina-Ala recently, His Excellency, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia made an unambiguous pronouncement that the Anti-Open Grazing and Prohibiting Law of Benue State is still alive and shall be enforced fully.
“Therefore, His Excellency has not, through directives or by himself sent a letter to any group including herdsmen, to come into the state to contravene the law in question.
“The Government of Benue State is worried that based on the already exhibited desperation of some retrogressive elements, it is possible they must have equally cooked such a nefarious communication to achieve their unholy ambition.
“The Benue State government is digging into this matter. If anything of such is discovered, the perpetrators must be assured, they will have to answer for their sins against the state.”
Benue: Abba Moro, Philip Agbese, others plotting to destabilise my govt – Gov Alia
