Benue Governor Alia Accused of Subverting LG as Tinubu Urged to Intervene
- The CRPP in Benue state has urged President Tinubu to take action against Governor Hyacinth Alia for allegedly subverting local governments in the state
- The group claimed that Governor Alia's actions, including directing caretaker chairmen to inaugurate committee members in secret, defy the recent Supreme Court ruling
- The CRPP has also called for an investigation into the alleged diversion of over N60 billion belonging to the 23 local governments of Benue state
Markurdi, Benue state—The Coalition of Patriotic Nigerians and the Conference of Registered Political Parties (CRPP) in Benue state have urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take immediate action against Governor Hyacinth Alia over the alleged subversion of local governments in the state.
In a letter to the president, the groups expressed concern over Governor Alia's actions, which they described as a "direct affront to the principles of democracy and the rule of law."
Source: Twitter
They alleged that the Benue governor defied a Supreme Court ruling by directing caretaker chairmen to inaugurate their committee members secretly.
The Supreme Court ruled on Thursday, July 11, that the Federal Government should pay local government funds directly to the exclusive accounts of the country's 774 local governments.
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Alia's alleged action unconstitutional - CRPP
The group claimed that Governor Alia's actions constituted a "severe violation of the country's constitutional framework" and threatened democratic governance in Nigeria.
The CRPP urged the president to direct the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the alleged diversion of over N60 billion belonging to the 23 local governments of Benue State.
It implored President Tinubu to take decisive action to prevent further subversion of democratic institutions in Benue state and ensure that allocations meant for local governments are paid directly to their bank accounts as mandated by the Supreme Court.
The letter partly reads:
"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."
LGA autonomy: Group commends Tinubu
The groups commended President Tinubu for his efforts in restoring the autonomy of local governments.
“We commend President Tinubu for his efforts in restoring the autonomy of local governments and urge him to take immediate action to address this situation. Failure to do so will only embolden Governor Alia's impunity and undermine the foundations of democracy in Nigeria," the letter added.
Legit.ng gathers that the letter was copied to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the National Security Adviser, the Director General of the DSS, the EFCC Chairman, and the ICPC Chairman.
Activists sue Benue gov't over public order act
In another report, a group of human rights activists has filed a lawsuit against Benue state governor Alia to challenge his administration's recent public order law.
The plaintiffs, Bemgba Iortyom and Adebayo Ogorry argued that the law grossly violates fundamental rights and represents a "reign of dictatorship" that must be stopped.
The governor had signed an executive order establishing the Department of Public Order in the Ministry of Justices to coordinate government policies and matters relating to public order.
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Source: Legit.ng
