The Benue State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has raised alarm over the award of contracts for some projects made by the State’s Governor, Hyacinth Alia.
According to the Party on Tuesday, the steps Alia took did not follow constitutional provisions.
Bemgba Iortyom, PDP’s Publicity Secretary in the State, submitted that the Governor had suspended constitutional rule in the State and was running the government like a dictator.
“We hereby call on all men of good conscience to rise up and resist with every lawful means this danger looming over the state.
“Governor Alia announced the award of contracts for the construction of 16 township roads in Makurdi, the sum for which he did not disclose, but which obviously runs into billions of naira by current cost standards.
“This is in addition to a contract earlier awarded by the governor for the renovation of the state assembly complex, the sum for which he also did not disclose, but which should be in the region of a billion naira.
“Governor Alia did not forward names of nominees for appointment into a cabinet as commissioners or advisers within 60 days, which grossly violates Section 147 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Iortyom said.
The PDP chieftain also contended that since the assumption of office on May 29, 2023, the governor froze all financial accounts of the state government in various banks and made withdrawals from it alone as he deemed fit.
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According to Iortyom, by the award of those contracts, Alia violated the provisions of Benue State’s financial instructions which stated in Chapter 23, Section 2305 that the spending limit and approval permitted the Governor in respect of contracts shall, in all requests, not exceed N50,000,000.
He added that the procedure for bidding for contracts for qualified contractors was laid down in the Benue State Public Procurement Law and involved the mandatory participation of the State Executive Council (SEC), which according to him, the Governor had failed to constitute.
“PDP understands that Governor Alia is inclined to discharging the business of government as a sole administrator, a despot, a dictator under a system not regulated by due process and rule of law, but which permits him unlimited powers.
“This, our great party will lead the charge in resisting through all lawful means, to safeguard the sanctity of the democratic system of government which is in practice in Nigeria and Benue State. PDP will resist the budding dictatorship being incubated by Governor Alia in Benue State,” he added.
