Alia: The Rise Of A Corrupt, Nepotistic Governor

…Has Turned Benue LG Funds Into Personal Finance

By Tordue Gudu

When suspended Catholic Priest, Hyacinth Alia indicated interest to run the 2023 Governorship election in Benue state, those who knew him as a monumental scam immediately drew the attention of the people to the evil that was about to seek their mandate.

Sadly, indiscretion or sheer lack of tact of the leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC gave him the party’s ticket in the most controversial, unacceptable and undemocratic circumstances. The gullibility and vulnerability of the masses who were clearly oblivious of the dangers that lay ahead then gave him the seat he craved in his desperate attempt to use such an elevated position of responsibility for personal aggrandizement.

Over seven months after inauguration, the man who was reputed for eloquently - though in fake phonetics – making huge promises is still going in circles with no clue as to the direction he wishes to take the state, especially as he came into power without a blueprint.

A man who promised to return Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs to their ancestral homes within one hundred days in office has maintained loud silence over their plight and has even embarked on a voyage to rationalizing their conditions in addition to telling the federal government that the security situation in the state has improved tremendously.

It is also worrisome that Governor Alia has crippled the local government system in Benue state by making it an appendage of his office as against his assurance to grant democratic and fiscal autonomy to that tier of government. The illegal dissolution of duly elected local government councils and selection of illegal ones says a lot in that regard.

While seeking the people’s mandate, governor persistently said he would fight corruption and reduce the cost of governance. But he made 360 degrees turn immediately after inauguration on May 29 and has now made corruption and reckless spending integral pillars of his administration. The supposed man of God has vehemently refused to disclose the state’s Internally Generated Revenue and the monthly wage bill. His refusal to make known what accrues to that state monthly and what he has received since coming into office also highlights his penchant for lack of transparency and accountability.

Alia is reputed for awarding contracts to companies that are either unknown or non-existent without due process; and when such contractors are mentioned, the contract sums are inflated in a manner that are likely to leave the state treasury bleeding with financial malfeasance. A clear example is the award of 16 short streets totaling 15 kilometers at 9 billion naira, while no work is ongoing on the roads. This is in addition to the procurement of refurbished buses at highly exorbitant prices without appropriation by the State House of Assembly or approval by the State Executive Council.

The suspended priest apparently thinks he is running a Catholic Parish, where the only response to whatever a Priest says is ‘Yes, Father’. Interestingly, even as a Catholic Priest of 33 years, he failed woefully with no record of achievement, except total disregard for authorities and mismanagement and diversion of funds belonging to the church.

Also, one would have expected that as a man who claims to have worked in the Lord’s vineyard before veering off track, Alia would be fair and just in discharging his responsibilities especially in the selection of those to work in the government if he wants to achieve results. Unfortunately, he has embraced nepotism, cronyism and favoritism in appointments as only his kinsmen of Kyan Constituency of Vandeikya Local Government, mistresses and a few equally misguided elements who with him could be described as birds of a feather are worth serving in his administration.

It is equally on record that as part of strategies to make up for his poor performance and cajole the people into assuming that he is working, the man destined to fail has initiated series of fights at different levels.

Since assumption of office, Governor Alia has expended a large amount of energy and time - and is still doing so - fighting his predecessor, Chief Samuel Ortom and the All Progressives Congress as well as its stakeholders in Benue state including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume who took a huge risk to clear the way for him to get the APC ticket and subsequent victory, albeit questionably at the polls.

One would have thought that Alia who practically begged for the APC ticket would appreciate the leadership of the party in the state for the favour done to him; but he has proudly said the party should thank him for according to him, helping them to snatch power from the PDP in the state.

Alia has constantly disrespected the party leadership and has never shunned any opportunity to stab Senator Akume, the man who staked his neck to help him, forgetting that Akume forgave him for working behind the scene to stop his appointment as SGF.

The misdeeds of the suspended priest are legion and cannot be enumerated even in one book. But his gross display of arrogance, pride, insensitivity, lack of tact, injustice, poor vision and shameless show of inability to deliver anything to the Benue people are nauseating.

He has left both those who knew him but voted him with the hope that he would change, and those who blindly cast ballot for him wishing the Supreme Court comes to their rescue by retrieving the seat he occupies despite his non-qualification to contest the 2023 polls.

* Tordue Gudu, a Concerned Benue Citizen Writes from Keffi, Nasarawa State