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The Benue State Government has said it is not afraid of any political coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections, insisting that its only concern would be a coalition of the masses against the government.
The Chief Press Secretary to Governor Hyacinth Alia, Tersoo Kula made the position while reacting to political developments and discussions surrounding possible alliances ahead of the 2027 elections in Benue State.
He said his principal, Governor Hyacinth Alia is rather focused in delivering more democracy dividends to the Benue people.
Kula who spoke with newsmen on Wednesday maintained that the emergence of political coalitions would not necessarily pose a threat to the administration of Governor Hyacinth Alia, except where such alliances reflected widespread opposition from the people.
Kula, who was reacting to statements credited to the National Secretary of the Rainbow Coalition, Austin Agada, that they would use the coalition to teach Governor Alia a lesson said “We are not afraid of any coalition, as long as it is not a coalition of the masses against the Governor.
“Someone from the opposition has reportedly said that a coalition or the APC would teach Governor Alia a lesson.
“I wonder what such a person means, considering the questions surrounding his own political performance. If someone could not deliver his polling unit as a party chairman, how can he confidently speak on behalf of a wider political movement?
“As you know, Governor Hyacinth Alia is more focused than ever on delivering for the people of Benue State. He is not particularly bothered by political gang-ups here and there because he anticipated them.
“Anyone who closely follows political developments in the state should also have anticipated these moves. Therefore, the situation is not a surprise to the Governor.”
Kula recalled that when the Governor assumed office, one of the first things he did was introduce reforms prompting the traditional institution to recognize him with a title associated with reform, Asortar U Tiv meaning “The Reformer of the Tiv People.”
“The truth is that reformers often have few friends because they introduce new ideas, innovations and changes that challenge the established order. Those who benefit from the existing system may resist such changes because they threaten their interests.
“When you attempt to change the status quo, those who benefit from the old order may not support you,” he said.
The CPS argued that electoral victories were influenced by candidates’ performance and other political considerations, stressing that zoning arrangements alone could not guarantee a candidate’s return to office.
He also stated that the debate surrounding zoning and political arrangements was being used by some interests to undermine the progress of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
He said Governor Alia, having benefited from the principle of power rotation, would not deliberately support an arrangement that could undermine the party’s political fortunes in Benue.
On the performance of the APC during the last general elections, Kula said that President Bola Tinubu’s victory in Benue was significantly influenced by Governor Alia’s political support saying the voting figures from the state demonstrated the governor’s contribution to the President’s electoral performance.
He cited what he described as the margin of votes recorded in areas associated with the governor and other political office holders, naming 12,000 votes from Ushongo and 22,000 from Vandeikya insisting that the figures were available for public verification.
He urged interested members of the public to consult the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) website and other relevant official records to examine the results.
He stated that Governor Alia’s administration remained confident despite discussions about possible opposition alliances, reiterating that a coalition could only become a significant concern if it represented a broad-based movement against the government.
He added that the political situation ahead of 2027 should be assessed through electoral performance, party loyalty and the level of public support rather than assumptions about the strength of proposed coalitions.
