BEING THE TEXT OF AN ADDRESS BY THE BENUE STATE APC MEDIA TEAM, BAMET, TO UNRAVEL THE FACTS BURIED IN THE BENUE STATE APC QUAGMIRE.
UNVEILING THE FACTS: GOVERNOR ALIA, COMRADE AGADA AND THE BENUE APC.
1. In recent times, there have been swirling accusations and misconceptions surrounding the financial affairs and leadership dynamics within the Benue State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC. As the Benue State APC Media Team, BAMET, it is our duty to shed light on these matters and set the record straight for public knowledge
2. First and foremost, let it be unequivocally stated that neither the leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Benue State nor the Leader of APC Benue State Senator Dr George Akume, fnim, KSJi, CON, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, at no point solicited money from Governor Hyacinth Alia, Contrary to misconceptions, the party has only tasked Governor Alia to fulfill his financial obligations as an elected member of the party. Payment of dues is not only constitutional but also ensures the integrity and cohesion of our membership, for the records Governor Alia until today is not a financial UpTo date member of the party, as he has blatantly refused to pay his dues, if not for the simplicity and love of the State Working Committee, SWC, Governor Alia ought to have been publicly ostracized from the party.
3. This is because, refusal to pay party dues amounts to suspension and further expulsion from the party constitutionally, but we are not surprised because immediately after his emergence he began to make decisions to cripple the party's stronghold and base, popular of those was his refusal to support our party candidates who were rigged out of the elections in their judicial processes of reclaiming their mandate, Governor Alia even went ahead to demand that our cases against the PDP members who rigged us out be withdrawn, we are aware that the State Chairman wrote a private letter to him "A Stitch In Time" pointing out this lacunas but he gave deaf ears to it.
4. It is essential to dispel the record that Governor Alia withheld his support for the Guma 1 State Constituency Bye Election. Despite our earnest requests, Alia threw his weight behind other political entities, there's incidents where he bragged to any ear willing to listen, that his Labour Party candidate was going to win the elections at all cost hence his choice candidate Orwough Maurice, with so much discrepancies in his documents lost the primary election, this statements followed up with financial commitments running to over half a billion, making sure the APC lost the election.
5. Furthermore BAMET would love Governor Alia to come clean with more facts about his alleged 30 million to the party for Guma election through Comrade Agada, public knowledge has it that Hon. James Ornguga the then Organizing Secretary and Alhaji Hassan Muhammad the State Treasurer went to see him in concoction to the Guma elections, but instead the Governor took only Ornguga inside and shut his doors for over 5 hours until Alhaji Hassan left out of frustration and that was the last it was heard of it, accommodation and logistics for the team that came from the National Secretariat was solely handled by the party.
6. It is well known that Alia's unclever 3 musketeers Hon. Paul Biam, Commissioner of Transportation Barr. Omale Omale Matthew and Michael Oglegba, were the ones who handled the primaries at his ends, so he should hold them to account if at all any money was released and not Agada.
7. Additionally, allegations of embezzlement against the State Chairman Comrade Austin Agada, regarding funds from His Excellency Jack Rich, are baseless. Both parties involved are alive and capable of addressing such accusations transparently, Agada still maintains a good relationship with H.E Tein Jack-Rich, if such had any atom of truth it would have affected their level of closeness.
8. While H.E Jack-Rich undeniably supported Benue State during the last election, it is concerning that funds were directed to an account solely controlled by Governor Alia. Questions arise as to why Governor Alia has remained silent on funds raised by Agada, it is easy for the Governor to say Agada has no regard for him but we've never heard the Governor come out to appreciate Agada for the financial war chest he influenced to the campaign from various donors. The lack of acknowledgment or gratitude from Governor Alia towards these benefactors is disconcerting, to say the least, for the records, Governor Alia has not called, picked nor send emissaries to appreciate any of this benefactors since he emerged Governor
9. Governor Alia's reluctance to believe in his own electoral victory was a very troubling phase we encountered in the electioneering process. Agada's insistence on releasing campaign funds was met with reluctance even on the eve of the elections, and this constitute the majorest reasons he's angry at the Chairman, highlighting Governor Alia's questionable financial management. The revelation that Governor Alia was the sole signatory to the campaign funds account is unprecedented and warrants further scrutiny, the party leadership upturned it's project account to fund the campaign with Alia's absolute signage and control, he was in charge of every dime that came in for his elections.
10. He personally took custody of funds released by H.E Governor Samuel Ortom to the transition committee for his transition process and onward inauguration, this is the first time in history of politics where a candidate was sole signatory to the party's project account, and campaign council account, and it has further led to the situation in Benue State today where the Governor has frozen all the state accounts and running like a private entity.
11. Furthermore, Governor Alia's credibility comes into question regarding promises made to party officials, Governor Alia had approved the party leadership borrow 19 million naira for his inauguration, this money has not been paid till today, this is just one too many of the instances he's refused to fulfill his financial obligation cast doubt on his integrity as a leader. The failure to fulfill financial obligations, such as paying staff salaries and party expenses, raises concerns about Governor Alia's commitment to the party's welfare, let Governor Alia remember how fair the party has been to him even his clearance to contest elections was given on credit by the party.
12. Throughout the entire electioneering process, while Austin Agada tirelessly traversed various avenues in a bid to secure funds for the campaign, Governor Alia intentionally hoarded money acquired from donors. It wasn't until after the elections that the true extent of this mismanagement came to light, revealing a pattern of personalization of campaign funds. If Benedict Akombo, who served as the Director of Finance for the campaign and recently resigned from from Alia's Government, wishes to provide an accurate account of events, he could corroborate these facts. This revelation underscores the concerning lack of transparency and accountability in Governor Alia's leadership.
13. Furthermore, Governor Alia's financial dealings extended beyond campaign funds to include expenditures through Zenith Bank, facilitated by personal relationship, which he would later reneged on the agreement to sign the authority letter mandating this bulky withdrawals, resulting in his classification as a Politically Exposed Person, PEP, by Zenith Bank. The repercussions of his actions extended even to the branch manager, who bore the brunt of the fallout and was demoted from his position to a regular branch staff. This chain of events underscores the far-reaching consequences of Governor Alia's actions, not only for himself but also for those caught in the crossfire of his financial mismanagement.
14. Even thou Governor Alia has blatantly refused to engage with stakeholders of the party on issues of administration and Governance by dismissing them as potential embezzlers of state resources, he further undermines their role and contribution to the party's success. It is hypocritical that while Governor Alia shuns party stakeholders, he associates closely with individuals like Barnabas Gemade, Emmanuel Jime, Prof. Eugene Aliegba, Amb. Torkuma Ugba, and Hinga Biem, we wonder if he has made this people youth leaders like Daniel Onjeh overnight, this raises suspicions about his true motives and leads us to question whether he sees these individuals as replacements for established party leaders.
15. The glaring absence of the party's media team representation in Governor Alia's over 12 ICT-related appointments speaks volumes about his disregard for internal party dynamics. Despite our warnings to the party leadership about this trend before the elections, our concerns were dismissed. Now, we witness the reality of Governor Alia's agenda to marginalize party loyalists and consolidate power within his own circle. This blatant exclusion only serves to further alienate dedicated party members and erode trust within the ranks.
16. Immediately after inauguration, Governor Alia agreed that Comrade Austin Agada depart for a medical leave abroad due to his deteriorating health conditions after 2 years of rigorous campaigns, Agada embarked on this trip with his personal funding expecting a refund as promised by the Governor which the Commissioner of Water Resources, Environment and Climate Change Hon. Ugwu Odoh was supposed to collect from the Governor, BAMET is aware that to this moment that money has not been paid yet the Governor christian himself as a saint.
17. The Benue State APC Media Team, BAMET, will soon begin an independent and open investigations into how much was donated for the campaigns and match it with the figures in the expenditure of the campaign council to ascertain the level of rot
18. In conclusion, Governor Alia's apparent insecurity and adversarial approach to party members and officials are counterproductive even to Governance, we can see a pattern of contracts issued without due process or budgeting. It is imperative for him to introspect and embrace transparency and accountability in his leadership. BAMET unequivocally stands in solidarity with the Austin Agada-led leadership of the Party in Benue State, the Benue APC National Assembly Caucus led by Senator Titus Zam, and the esteemed Senator Dr. George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation. It is only through unity and principled leadership that we can advance the ideals of the APC in Benue State.
19. Finally we thank President and Commander-in-Chief of Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and the stakeholders of Benue State APC for their far reaching decision that he run for president again in 2027 headed by the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation Prof. Engr. Joseph Terlumun Utsev, and the Executive Director, Housing Finance and Accounts, Federal Housing Authority, FHA, Dr Mathias Terwase Byuan.
Thank you
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