Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr Hyacinth Alia
By PAUL ADAJI (Who was in Makurdi) –
The Mbangur Community Elites Coalition (MECOA), has strongly condemned what it described as deliberate attempts by certain groups and individuals in Benue State to undermine the personality and the developmental programmes of the state Governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia.
MECOA, which is a coalition of immediate family and bloodline relations of Rev. Fr. Alia, made its position known during a press conference held at the Club Suites in Makurdi at the weekend.
Addressing the press conference, the spokesperson for the coalition, Comrade Akpenpuun Terhide James, also warned the group would continue to resist the activities of those in the habit of speaking despicable things and making unguarded utterances about their son.
Comrade Akpenpuun, who did not mention their names, however lamented that “those who do mean well for the state,” were targeting the governor to rubbish him, despite recording massive development across the state just within the space of nearly two years since he assumed office.
He explained that MECOA was a political pressure group comprising of Governor Alia’s blood-line relatives from Mbangur in Mbadede ward of Vandeikya Local Government Area of Benue State, “who are determined to promote goodwill for him across the state in the build-up towards his re-election in 2027.”
Comrade Akpenpuun further explained that the aim of the group was to build-up “an unalloyed support base across the state to promote, defend and protect the governor’s programmes, policies and record-breaking achievements, for successful governance and against unguarded utterances and acts to undermine his personality and office from unreasonable and scrupulous elements.”
Accompanied to the press conference by a strong delegation of leaders and stakeholders of Mbangur origin, he said that with one unanimous voice they have resolved to create an enabling environment of unity, peace and security for effective service delivery for the governor within his immediate community of Mbangur, Mbadede Ward in Vandeikya Local Government and Benue State at large.
“That henceforth, we shall no longer condone or be silent over public unguarded utterances against Governor Alia and acts capable of undermining his personality and office from any individuals or group of persons.
“That henceforth, the entire Mbangur Community shall distance herself from any persons or groups that choose to go against Governor Alia and the good works he is doing to move Benue forward.
“To build-up an unalloyed support base across the state to promote, defend and protect the governor’s programmes, policies and record-breaking achievements, for successful governance and against unguarded utterances and acts to undermine his personality and office from unreasonable and scrupulous elements,” he said.
“We aim at working assiduously to bridging the gaps of misunderstandings, unguarded utterances, falsehood and sometimes acts to undermine the personality and office of the governor from some quarters and hope to create harmony and unity of purpose that would further benefit and develop the state.
“We shall continue to stand with him (Alia), by him and for him until he successfully completes his eight years as governor of Benue State and beyond.
“Therefore, we are appealing and calling on those who may have been aggrieved for one reason or the other, especially from Mbadede, Kunavland, Jechira Benue state at large to come back and support His Excellency Governor Alia to put Benue state on a new map of development,” they posted.
“We have seen the good works done so far by our brother the governor of the state, in just over one year and seven months in office which includes massive roads constructions, establishment of factories through the BIPC for the production of bread, water, fertilizer and ZEVA lager beer, constructions and renovations of the state secretariat, installations of street lights within the state capital Makurdi, massive employment at Benue State Teaching Hospital.
“We are seeing the ongoing massive teachers employment exercise at SUBEB, regular and prompt payment of civil servants salaries, pensions and gratuities, procuring of new buses at Benue Links and revamp of the old abandoned buses to ease intra and inter state transportation for the masses, giving maximum attention to security challenges with the recent launching of the Benue State Civil Protection Security, adequate supply, availability and affordable fertilizer and agro-chemicals for farmers, general welfare of the masses amongst several other achievements
“In view of all these, we on behalf of the entire Mbangur community today Friday 24th January, 2025 reaffirm our vote of confidence in His Excellency Rev.Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia the Executive Governor of Benue State and further states as follows”, they alluded.
They however, concluded by thanking Gov Alia for the move to establish a new University of Agriculture Science and Technology, while urging the Benue State House of Assembly to expeditiously pass the Bill into Law
