Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has raised alarm over what he described as a calculated and desperate plot by certain individuals to destabilise the state and orchestrate his removal from office.
Speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, during a press briefing in Makurdi on Wednesday, the governor alleged that a coordinated campaign of misinformation, along with sponsored protests and demonstrations, was being carried out to discredit his administration.
“These protests are not genuine expressions of public dissatisfaction,”; the governor stated.
“They are deliberately engineered by disgruntled individuals aiming to manipulate the public and provoke instability.”;
Governor Alia claimed that the ultimate goal of the campaigners is to create enough chaos to force President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in Benue.
He described the plot as a desperate attempt by those opposed to reform and progress to return the state to a “discredited status quo”;.
He further accused the alleged conspirators of exploiting the legal profession, citing examples of ex-convicts posing as legal experts, unregistered groups filing petitions filled with “lies and offensive accusations,”; and individuals impersonating lawyers at press briefings.
He called on the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to investigate and take action against such misconduct.
“These efforts are nothing more than a personal vendetta driven by selfish interests,”; he said. “But they will not succeed. The people of Benue are aware of these tactics and remain firmly behind their governor.”;
Governor Alia reassured citizens that the state remains safe, the government is stable, and legislative activities are ongoing without disruption.
He reaffirmed his commitment to securing Benue and tackling insecurity, particularly from armed herders.
“Benue is making significant progress. We are addressing our challenges head-on, and no amount of sabotage will derail the transformation agenda of this administration,”; he added.
