Ikpambese, Other Issues: Alia’s Kinsmen Organize Solidarity Rally

MAKURDI: The Jechira intermediate area, comprising the people of Konshisha and Vandeikya Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Benue State, cutting across party divides have vowed that they would rally behind the State Governor Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, to succeed against all odds.

The people who cut across political parties, including the All Progressives Congress (APC), People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP), among others, disclosed this during a solidarity rally held at Tse Agberagba, headquarters of Konshisha LGA of the state last weekend.

The solidarity rally was organised by the people of Jechira in support of the governor, following the recent face-off between the executive of the Alia administration and the Benue State House of Assembly on the one hand and those against the removal of the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Maurice Ikpambese.

They vowed that they would rally round Governor Hyacinth Alia, “in all his trials and troubles”, adding that as Alia’s kinsmen, they would join hands to fight anyone that intends to stand in the way of the governor.

Speaking to newsmen, shortly after the event, the Chairman, Benue APC Elders’ Forum, Senator Barnabas Gemade, said the solidarity rally was a commitment of the people of Jechira, to support their son, (Alia), to enable him deliver on dividends of democracy, without distraction.

He explained that the people of Jechira voluntarily came together to express their solidarity to the Governor on recent developments in the State Assembly and other knotty issues that were acting as impediments to the governor in the art of governance.

Gemade said “You will recall that just few days ago the assembly had to step into a matter lingering between the executive and the judiciary where several issues are under contention and the House of Assembly had to come in to do an oversight function.

“Since then, there has been so much and lot of detractors have gone to the press to say all manner of things. The Jechira people voluntarily decided to come together to dispel all the rumours being spread about what took place between the Assembly and the state Chief Judge.

“We are here, all the parties, APC, PDP, Labour Party and every other party that is existing here in Jechira, their leaders are here to express our solidarity for the Governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, for the good work he is doing in the state and also to commend the state Assembly for living up to expectation to do its own work of sanitizing the system.

“The message is that we had given our Governor the support to move in and perform like Aper Aku did, like Adasu started to do; he should live in their footsteps and move forward. That time we said that no Jechira person should contest election with him until he complete his 8 years.

“Today, we want to say that we will stand with the governor in all his trials and troubles that the detractors are going to present to distract him. We will be with him in fighting them,” Gemade vowed.

Also speaking, former Chairman of APC in Konshisha, Alhaji Abubakar Nyongo, said Alia’s coming has brought a lot of relief to the people of the state.

According to him, “Many people have been in politics and we have not witnessed it this good. So I’m telling my people, the Jechira constituency that Alia is the one we chose and they should concentrate on him and support him to succeed.”

Member, Benue State House of Assembly representing Vandeikya/Tiev State constituency, Damkor Mathew, said “Jechira as an intermediary is one and is 100 percent behind their son and Governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia. The coach never changes his winning team, if he is performing there is no need of other Jechira sons contesting. If the essence is to deliver good governance, Alia is doing perfectly well and is delivering in his mandate. There is no basis for any contest again.”

Coordinator, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Konshisha LGA, Rev Vincent Guda, who spoke at the event noted that the clergy in Jechira were solidly in support of the governor to succeed in taking the state to greater heights.

He said “We are the clergy and Alia is a clergy. He is doing the right thing and just as others are saying, when he came into office things were not done properly like the payment of salaries and pension. So we started praying for him and by the grace of God things are moving very well. We are behind him to do his 8 years just as others did.

“If we have our way we will add him another 4 years to make it 12 years because the Benue people are happy with him”, he stated.

Mrs Mwuese Bebe, a former Chairman, Konshisha LGA, said “Women do not have a problem with our Governor, he is doing very well and we are solidly behind him. We encourage him to stand firm and be ready to consult as consultation is important in politics. The women of Jechira are ready to support and stand by him to succeed.”

She expressed delight in the Governor for appointing women into his cabinet, even as hoped that the governor would bring more women to his cabinet.

During the occasion, the people of Jechira, across party lines, unanimously commended Governor Alia, for the things he was doing. They pledged that they were ready to rally support for him as well as queue up behind him till the end of his first and even for a second term.