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From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
Ahead of the 2027 general election, former governorship aspirants from Kunav extraction in Vandeikya Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State have declared their support for the state governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, endorsing him for a second-term re-election.
The former aspirants, including Dr Cletus Akwaya, Dr Boniface Jirbo, Dr Zua Tule, Mr Peter Chieshe and Mrs Suzan Waya, made the endorsement on Tuesday in Makurdi while briefing newsmen in response to a recent statement issued by an association operating under the auspices of the Joint Kunav Governorship Aspirants, Benue State.
The Joint Kunav Governorship Aspirants had demanded, among other things, that Governor Alia step down at the end of his first tenure over alleged poor performance to allow another candidate from Kunavland complete the remaining four years.
The spokesman of the group, Dr Cletus Akwaya, said their intervention was necessary to clarify their position on the future political direction of Kunavland and Benue State as a whole.
Akwaya, who noted that most of them contested the 2023 governorship election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said when Governor Alia of the All Progressives Congress (APC) emerged winner, he extended an olive branch to them, a development which made them choose to align with him in the interest of peace, unity and development in Benue State.
He said: “Since the 2023 elections were won by Rev Fr Hyacinth Iormem Alia (APC) and, following his olive branch and demonstrated capacity to lead the people with empathy, courage and justice, we have since joined forces with him to develop Benue State, as we are already making various contributions in that regard.
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“We are convinced, and the evidence abounds, that Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia is performing excellently well and deserves to be encouraged to do even more for the masses of Benue State. This is our point of departure with the ‘Joint Kunav Governorship Aspirants’, whose sole ambition is to succeed Rev Fr Alia in 2027.”
According to them, Governor Alia’s performance in office justified their support and earned him widespread endorsements across the state. “We are convinced beyond doubt that Governor Alia is performing excellently well and deserves encouragement to continue the good work he is doing for the people of Benue State,” they said.
While affirming the constitutional right of every citizen to seek elective office, the former aspirants said the moves to challenge Governor Alia in 2027 were premature and inconsistent with the mood of the people.
They stressed that their decision to support the governor was not driven by fear or lack of resources, saying: “Our support is not born out of timidity or lack of capacity. We are well qualified and positioned to contest, but we have voluntarily stepped aside for the stability and rapid development of our state.
“While we contested for the position, we entered into an accord with a maxim: ‘All For One And One For All’. By this motto, we resolved to support any one of us that would eventually emerge as governor of the state and that the winner will represent our interests and aspirations in providing service to the people.”
They lauded Governor Alia for demonstrating clearly that he is a team player and willing to carry along all his Kunav brothers and sisters who contested the position with him, adding: “He has manifestly represented our intentions and plans to develop the state, hence our support.”
Describing Fr Alia as a “winning team” that needs not to be changed in the middle of the game, the group called on members of the Joint Kunav Governorship Aspirants to reconsider their stance, respect the agreement earlier entered into, and realign with Governor Hyacinth Alia in the overall interest of Kunavland and for the development of Benue State.
