From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Benue State chapter has condemned Governor Hyacinth Alia government over the recent suspension of medical students at the Benue state university, (BSU) Makurdi.
The party condemnation which was made in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Bemgba Iortyom, and made available to newsmen in Makurdi, said such act was not only condemnable but unfortunate.
“We recall that only a few days back, medical students of the Benue State University, Makurdi who had gone to Government House to peacefully ventilate their grievances to the governor were allegedly brutalized by suspected thugs and subsequently suspended by the university authority.
“PDP firstly establishes that the protests and agitations springing across the state are largely the result of frustrations arising from the myriad of promises Governor Alia made to the people during the campaigns to turn their conditions to ‘Heaven on earth’ within just a 100 days in office.”
The party observed that “Protests and agitations are rights of citizens which are enshrined in law and previous governors of the state handled them through civil negotiations and where the courts intervened, their judgments were complied with by the government.”
The party described the suspension as unfortunate, also recalled that students in the 90s under the aegis of National Union of Benue State Students (NUBESS), had successfully resisted attempts by the military government to scrap the annual bursary allowance to them, saying it was achieved through protests and negotiations with the then Military Administrator.
The party also recalled that both George Akume and Gabriel Suswam during their separate times as governor had to go to the BSU campus to address protesting students who demanded to see them over their grievances.
PDP cautioned Governor Alia to refrain from intolerance and high handedness against citizens who are exercising their lawful rights in protesting against his failure to fulfill the promises he made to them during the campaigns.
