Gov. Alia Presided Over Worst Local Govt Election In Benue’s History – Odeh – Independent Newspaper Nigeria

Comrade Aluh Moses Odeh, an activist, is the Chief, All Center Belt Youth Discussion board (AMBYF). Comrade Odeh, a Labour Social gathering (LP) chieftain and grassroots politician, took half within the just lately held Native Authorities elections in Benue State. On this interview with EJIKEME OMENAZU, he speaks on what transpired in that election, whilst he feedback on different essential points. Excerpt:

You took half within the latest Council elections In Benue State. Might you recount what transpired through the election?

The great individuals of Ugbokolo Ward in Okpokwu Native Govern­ment Space of Benue State had been with excessive hopes to decide on the per­son they know has the braveness, character and competency to steer them out of the present conun­drum and set the place on the trail of development. However they had been frustrat­ed by Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia who presided over the worst charade in historical past as there was no election in Ugbokolo Ward on October 5, 2024, the date of the election. There was no assertion from the Benue State Unbiased Electoral Fee (BSIEC) to the voters on what was hap­pening. Then at 4am the subsequent day, October 6, October, 2024, the Rev­erend Father. Governor smuggled some individuals to the Authorities Home, Makurdi, and inaugurat­ed these merchandise of the charade as Council Executives. The final time we spoke earlier than the election, I made it categorically clear that Alia couldn’t approbate and reprobate on the similar time. I had thought that if Gov. Alia sacked the previous Council Executives whose election lacked credibility beneath the watch of his predecessor, Dr. Sam Ortom, that by no means drains the opposition events’ candidates of their assets, then Alia wouldn’t repeat the identical factor. It was our perception that the council election can be an acid check for Governor Alia to show the philosophical assertion within the Catholic Semi­nary that ‘Oil of Ordination on the top of a criminal can not change a criminal to a saint’. My earlier concern when the governor introduced his intention to conduct the elec­tion was that he would be capable of conduct the election for the reason that assets required for that exer­cise had been by no means captured within the 2024 funds. However, he later acted in a approach that appeared actual when he offered a supplementary funds of over N6.6 billion for the conduct of the stated election that by no means came about in my council ward and polling items. Gov. Alia raped and murdered democracy in broad day mild unchallenged, to the chagrin of a number of advocacy group. The conduct of the Police and different safety operatives in Ugbokolo Ward was spectacular as they had been within the collation centre of Ugbokolo Ward Odessassa Pri­mary Faculty l, PU 009, very early of their massive numbers solely to dis­cowl that there have been no electoral materials dispatched to Ugbokolo Ward for onward supply to the assorted Polling Models and no workers of Benue State Unbiased Elec­toral Fee (BSIEC) was current on the centre until 2pm be­fore they left.

Might you give the reason why you didn’t win in your ward?

There was no election. That was the rationale I couldn’t emerge a winner. From each indication, it was crystal clear that I used to be the one candidate for the election and I may have received with a land­slide with our MUGA Motion, a imaginative and prescient to ‘Make Ugbokolo Nice Once more’, impacting positively on youth and turning the ward to an ICT hub in Nigeria which aroused the consciousness of each Ido­fuel and other people of Ugbokolo Ward throughout get together traces. This was be­trigger as we advised them throughout our imaginative and prescient sharing, the 2 political juggernauts of Ugbokolo Ward within the particular person Sen. Ameh Ebute (CON), former Senate President and All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain and Sen. Abba Moro, the Senate Minority Lead­er of Peoples Democratic Social gathering (PDP) and different distinguished Ido­fuel like Dr. Andrew Ogwuche, Dr. Benjamin Angbo, Dr. John Okoko, Chief Dr. Emmanuel Ameh Ag­benu Effa, Chief Henry Agbo’, Mr. Peter Ocheke, Mr. Igomu A Igomu and a bunch of others left their loca­tions for Ugbokolo to take part within the historic election. However, they had been pissed off as there have been nei­ther the electoral supplies nor the BSIEC workers on the polling items for the election.

Would you affirm if the safety businesses and the state electoral company workers had been skilled of their conduct of the LG elections within the state?

The Nigerian Police Power and different safety businesses in Ugboko­lo Ward displayed distinctive con­duct on that day with their well timed presence on the ward collation centre. They waited patiently for electoral supplies and the BSIEC workers until about 2pm earlier than they re­turned to their base when it was clear to them that there wouldn’t be any election. However, for the workers of the Benue State Unbiased Elec­toral Fee (BSIEC) I’ve no encouraging phrases for them as a result of they acted in a approach that negated the independence of the company. It was most shameful that the BSIEC Chairman, a lawyer, who ought to act just like the Minister for Justice, killed democracy. The institution of Benue State In­dependent Electoral Fee (BSIEC) was to make sure justice and honest play. However these had been lacking through the native authorities elec­tion.

What are your get together, the Labour Social gathering, and the opposite opposition events within the state doing to right any unsuitable doing by the electoral company through the council elections within the state?

My get together is on floor and is taking its time to check the situ­ation and can come up on the ap­propriate time to talk on the cha­rade. The Senate Minority Chief, Sen. Abba Moro of PDP immedi­ately on October 7, 2024 moved a movement within the Pink Chamber, which was supported by the 2 APC Senators from Benue State to the impact that the Benue State LGAs month-to-month allocations be stopped un­til correct election is carried out. We supported that movement to make sure that it sees the sunshine of the day.

In many of the states the place native gov­ernment elections had been held, besides in Rivers, the ruling events as occurred in Benue, all the time swept all of the seats. Why is that this so?

Was it because of credible and competent candidates offered by the ruling get together of these states that received all of the elections? No! It was be­trigger Nigerians place quite a bit on the shoulders of the President who’s saddled with higher responsibili­ties and allowed some governors to proceed to wreak havoc on the individuals with their strangleholds on the neck of LGAs. Everybody has continued to endorse this palace coups towards the individuals by means of the dysfunctional LGAs orches­trated by some governors as a result of the governors see the native gov­ernments as their inheritance, so they have to hand decide incompetent stooges to steer our Native Govern­ments in order to discredit the most effective works of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who gave Nigeri­ans native authorities autonomy. It’s irritating that Nigerians don’t connect a lot worth to this excellent work of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for granting us LGA Autonomy. Our ignorance in Nigeria has grown to a stage that we clap for governors that can’t conduct election into their LGAs, however will flip round to castigate the President who presides over 768 LGAs and 6 Municipal Space Council (within the FCT). Folks of goodwill ought to communicate out towards the evils being perpetrated by our governors, or stay silent.

Would you say that the legal guidelines guid­ing native authorities elections within the nation needs to be amended for the creation of a nationwide physique to be dealing with native authorities elections, or would you just like the Unbiased Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC) with its shortcomings, to be conduct­ing council polls along with its han­dling of nationwide and state elections?

Nigerians love wastage and du­plication of capabilities an excessive amount of. If not, why ought to somebody take into consideration the institution of a brand new electoral fee that can con­duct Native Authorities elections when INEC is already saddled with such accountability? All we have to do is improve the workforce of INEC with correct coaching for it to deal with the council elections.

Would you say that what transpired within the Rivers State council election the place the All Peoples Social gathering (APP) swept the polls, with Motion Alliance (AA) profitable one chairmanship seat can stand the check of time and wouldn’t be over­turned by the courts?

Are you saying this to discredit the prepared resolution of the individuals of River State that got here out and forged their votes for his or her alternative leaders whereas on the identical day in Benue State it was a repeat of the previous order the place the candidates of the ruling get together had been introduced winners of a charade in Govern­ment Home towards the provisions of the Benue State Electoral Legislation (as amended)?

Would you say the state governments are actually permitting native authorities autonomy to prevail? If not, what needs to be executed to examine them?

The angle of the state gover­nor in direction of the LGA Autonomy is annoying. However, they can’t cease it coming by means of. Moreover, the peo­ple are the issue as many have no idea what the native authorities autonomy is all about, particularly stooges who have no idea the differ­ence between a Bye Legislation, Legislation and Act, which had been being imposed on the individuals as Councillors and Chairmen.

Check out the Unbiased Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC). What reforms do you assume needs to be put in place for the company to dwell as much as expectations?

You don’t want any reform once more in INEC apart from having a very good basis with a very good lead­er. Think about how the 2022 Electoral Act all of us yearned for can not stand the check of time after 2023 elections. Any reform that doesn’t have an effect on the officers in INEC can not stand.