Benue Killing: What Governor-Elect Father Alia Will Do to Anti-Open Grazing Law, APC Chairman Reveals

• Comrade Austin Agada, the chairman of the Benue state All Progressives Congress (APC), has claimed that the anti-open grazing law was initiated by the APC administration in the state
• The new governor-elect, Reverend Father Hycienth Alia, is expected to maintain the law, according to Agada
• The Benue APC chairman also argued that Governor Ortom should focus on arresting and prosecuting the violators of the law rather than going after cattle

Benue State - Comrade Austin Agada, the chairman of the Benue state All Progressives Congress (APC), has argued that the anti-open grazing law was a ‘child-birth’ of his party's administration in the state.

He noted that Governor Samuel Ortom was a member of the APC when he introduced the policy, adding that the new governor-elect, Rev. Father Hycienth Alia, will not discard it.

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According to the APC chair in an exclusive chat with Legit.ng:

“It was the persuasion of party men and women in the state that led to the enactment of the law. What we are saying is the implementation of this policy by Governor Ortom and the PDP.

"He deviated from the initial plan. The implementation is equally poor."

Comrade Agada said the APC will hold on to the law because it was made by the people of Benue, "but the manner in which Ortom is implementing that law is poor."

He added:

"Ortom shouldn’t be going after cattle, he should rather be going after the offenders of the law. By just going after cattle, he is provoking senseless killings. Why is he so attached to people’s cows?

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Ortom as a single individual has more cows today than even the Fulanis. It’s not about the cows, it’s about the violators of the law. If you arrest the violator of the law, and also prosecute him, tomorrow, he won’t go there.”

Benue would have been doomed if Uba won and continued Ortom's legacy - Agada

Father Alia, the APC guber candidate, defeated the PDP flagbearer, Titus Uba, in the March 18 poll in Benue state.

Agada said if Uba had won and continued Governor Ortom's legacy, Benue state would have been doomed.

"Uba has not been able to enact any concrete law for the Benue people as the Speaker of the State Assembly.

"What policy has he initiated under this government that has benefited the Benue people? It’s like bringing in a total failure to continue from another failure," the Benue APC chairman said.

Is Alia Akume’s stooge?

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On Alia being seen as former Governor George Akume’s stooge, Agada argued that Alia is an independent person who has served both men and God and should not be seen as anybody’s stooge.

“I’m sure you know who priests are. These people are well-schooled. His antecedents are there for people to see. He knows what he is going into, so I can confidently discard that allegation with a wave of the palm.

“Akume does not have any stooge, but he has proven leadership. It’s God that gives leadership. When we were in school under Akume, the school fee was less than 5k. But when Suswan came in, the fee skyrocketed. Today, we all know what they are paying in the state,” he said.

After losing state to APC, Ortom sets up transition committee, prepares for May 29 handover

Meanwhile, Governor Ortom on Wednesday, March 22, set up a transition committee that will prepare for the handover of the incoming administration on May 29, 2023.

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The governor who presided over the State Executive Council meeting held on Wednesday at the Government House in Makurdi announced the composition of the committee.

Ortom named the head of the transition committee to be the Secretary to the State Government, (SSG), Prof Tony Ijohor SAN with all members of the State Executive Council as members.

Source: Legit.ng