PDP kicks off as Alia swears in LG Benue chairmen

Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, on Monday swore in the newly elected local government chairmen, charging them to uphold the highest standards of governance without fear or favor.

The PUNCH reported on Sunday that the ruling All Progressives Congress won all 23 chairmanship seats and 276 councilor seats in the Benue State local government elections held on Saturday.

Talk with The PUNCH On Monday, the opposition People’s Democratic Party claimed the election was marred by irregularities and demanded its cancellation.

However, Governor Alia insisted that the elections were free, fair and reflected the will of the Benue people.

Investing in the new LG chairmen on Monday, the governor said: “To you, the newly elected chairmen, as you assume this office, I entrust you with a mission of the utmost importance. Your role will require you to work diligently, provide strategic leadership and uphold the highest standards of governance without fear or favor.

Such responsibility, according to the governor, requires integrity, foresight and an unwavering dedication to the principles of accountability, transparency, fairness and honesty in all their dealings.

The governor further urged the new chairmen to build on the developmental foundations laid by the outgoing LG caretaker committees.

“I urge you to place less emphasis on personal gains in leadership and instead focus on bringing democratic outcomes closer to the people. Remember, leadership is about service and sacrifice, not personal glory.

“I must emphasize that no level of government acts in isolation. Therefore, in light of the newly granted autonomy to local governments, I urge you to always collaborate with us at the state level to implement policies and programs that benefit our rural communities. This is especially important as we all share the same vision of rewriting the narrative of our beloved state and our country at large,” Alia said.

However, in an interview with our correspondent, Benue PDP Publicity Secretary, Tim Nyor, insisted that the poll that brought in the new LG chairmen was a charade and demanded its annulment.

Nyor said: “In the few areas where some semblance of a charade was orchestrated by the administration of Governor Hyacinth Alia, led by the All Progressives Congress, evidence has erupted everywhere, including in the media space, of stuffing ballot boxes and massive fingerprinting of ballot papers.

“The PDP is deeply saddened by this blatant display of lack of integrity, not only by the Governor of Benue State, but also by the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC), which has returned on his previous promises to guarantee the electorate their right to exercise. their right to vote.

“Governor Alia and the BSIEC have failed the Benue people and in doing so, violated their oath to maintain the integrity of the electoral process in the state.

“What has happened is nothing but a travesty of democracy, a charade orchestrated to deceive the people and impose puppet rule on the 23 local government councils in the state in order to perpetuate a vicious cycle of poverty , leading to underdevelopment at this level of administration.

“We reiterate our call for Saturday’s municipal elections to be canceled and a new vote to be held, failing which we will explore the legal options available to us as a party.”