The Coalition of Patriotic Nigerians (CPN) and Conference of Registered Political Parties (CRPP) in Benue State have called on President Bola Tinubu to pay attention to alleged subversion of local governments in Benue State.
In a jointly written letter to the president, the groups expressed concern and disturbance over Governor Hyacinth Alia’s actions, which they described as a “direct affront to the principles of democracy and the rule of law.”
The letter co-signed by Andrew Longyem and Oliver Omenka said: “We are shocked and dismayed by Governor Alia’s blatant disregard for the judiciary’s decision and his subsequent usurping of the powers of local governments.
“This is a clear violation of the constitutional framework and a threat to democratic governance in Nigeria.”
The Supreme Court had ruled on July 11, 2024, that the Federal Government should pay local government funds directly to the exclusive accounts of the 774 local governments in the country.
However, Governor Alia defied this ruling by directing caretaker chairmen to inaugurate their committee members in secret, a move the groups described as “a severe violation of the country’s constitutional framework.”
“Governor Alia’s actions are a brazen display of despotism and corruption. He has truncated the lawful tenure of local government administrations in the state, replaced them with caretaker committees, and now seeks to control the affairs of local governments through illegitimate means.
“This is a dangerous precedent that could embolden other state governors to similarly disregard court decisions and concentrate power in their hands.”
The groups called on President Tinubu to use his good office to redress the wave of lawlessness being perpetrated in Benue State and ensure that democratic governance is upheld.
The letter was copied to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the National Security Adviser, the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), the Chairman of the EFCC, and the Chairman of the ICPC.
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