The Peoples Democratic Party in Benue State has called on the State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, to account for the disbursed N44 billion special intervention grants received from the Federal Government between August 2023 to 2024.
The party made the demand in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Bemgba Iortyom, on Monday in Makurdi.
The PDP made the call in reaction to the submission of the leader of the All Progressives Congress in the state, Senator Tilley Gyado, that N44 billion in the form of intervention funds were accrued to the state in the past nine months.
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Gyado, while speaking at the APC stakeholders meeting in Makurdi on Sunday, had listed the special intervention funds accrued to the state to include N5 billion post-subsidy removal, N9 billion Infrastructure funds, and N30 billion sub-national intervention funds.
Meanwhile, the state government and other states have denied receipt of N30 billion as alleged by the Senate President, Senator Godwin Akpabio.
Describing the statement by the APC leader as “shocking”, the Benue State chapter of the PDP said there had been no disclosure from the governor of receipt of such funds.
According to them, the post-subsidy removal (palliatives) fund was the only fund disclosed, which, after much pressure from their end, the governor had accepted having received in part N2 billion, and thereafter had kept sealed lips over the outstanding N3 billion.
The party said: “If there was a N9 billion infrastructure fund and a N30 billion Sub-national intervention fund, the people of Benue State are only getting to know about it from the APC statement, and this by all standards of transparency and accountability is unacceptable.
“PDP is saddened that this non-disclosure of N44 billion federal intervention grants by Governor Alia reinforces his policy of concealment and disregard for due process and the rule of law which underpin a style of governance that is in character a sole administratorship.”
The opposition party enjoined Alia to acknowledge the receipt of the funds and reveal how he had expended the N44 billion special grants, saying to do otherwise would bring more suspicion of corrupt practices over his administration.
