By TYAV SAM TYAV, Makurdi –
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Benue State Chapter has accused Governor Hyacinth Alia’ s aides and some local government chairmen for been overzealous by arbitrary banning and incessant disruption of thanksgiving services and peaceful assembly.
The party accused the Governor’s aides for the disruption of Sunday’s thanksgiving service in honour of the Senator representing Benue North West Senatorial District, Titus Zam, at NKST church Naka in Gwer West by the council, Victor Torsaa Ormim.
PDP in the state described the conduct as a violation of citizens’ rights to freedom of worship, a fundamental tenet of democracy, insisting that it has become a pattern since the beginning of this administration.
The State Publicity Secretary of the party, Tim Nyor in a statement on Monday, informed that on Sunday, May 12, 2024, the former Caretaker Chairman of Konshisha local government Council, Philip Achua, in company of thugs invaded and disrupted a thanksgiving mass at the Annunciation Catholic Rectory, in Tsuwe Daka, Konshisha Local Government Area in honour of the member representing Jechira Federal Constituency, Hon. Sesoo Ikpagher.
According to the statement the attack was supervised by the then caretaker chairman and the Commissioner for Humanitarian and Disaster Management in Benue State, Aondowase Kunde.
A few weeks later, in the same Konshisha, the statement continued, the former caretaker chairman of the Council, Philip Achua, in the company of thugs, attempted to stop a thanksgiving service in honour of Dr Mathias Byuan, at NKST Agidi, Konshisha local government but was resisted by the people.
The PDP spokesman also revealed that on June 30, 2024, the then Caretaker Chairman for Guma Local Government, Unongo Simon, attempted to stop a thanksgiving/church building fundraising service at NKST Daudu in Guma local government, where the former Benue State governor, now Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Senator George Akume, was billed to be the Special Guest.
The statement further disclosed that on July 26, 2024, a church service at NKST Ihugh, Vandeikya local government, where the Senator representing Benue North West Senatorial District, Senator Emmanuel Udende was a special guest, was called off and no service was held at the church on that fateful Sunday, on directives of the then Caretaker Chairman of Vandeikya local government Council, Mr Dennis Guda.
The party which through the spokesman called for an end of the ugly trend, pointing out that Benue people have the right to thank God, celebrate their blessings and express their gratitude to God without fear of governmental interference.
The Organising Secretary, Caretaker Committee of the All Progressives Congress in the state, James Ornguga could not be reached by a close associate of the Governor who spoke on.anonymous ground told NATIONAL ACCORD that Governor Alia could not stoop low to disrupt a church programme and PDP not to be economical with facts.
