Palliative: Benue PDP Lambast Gov. Alia Over Arrest, Detention Of Social Media Member

By Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP Benue State has accused Governor Hyacinth Alia of condescending low to order the arrest and prosecution of a social media member of the party Paul Terhemba Gyenger .

Paul according to the party’s Publicity Secretary Bemgba Iortyom during an interview with newsmen on Saturday, is said to have written in his Facebook page, alleging that the Governor has misappropriated the 2 billion naira Federal Government palliative given to the State.

Bemgba also, accused the Governor of running the State as a sole adminstrator and authoritarian ruler.

Hear him,”the petition is from the Chambers of Mnyim Esq and the content states clearly that they are under the explicit briefs of the Governor of Benue State to the effect to request the Commissioner of Police to arrest and prosecute Paul Terhemba Gyenger for having written in a social media post alleging that Governor Hyacinth Alia has misappropriated the 2 billion naira for the people of the State.

“So, the Governor felt that he has been injured and maligned in the eyes of the people and on the basis of that, he is aggrieved and asked the Police to arrest and prosecute the young man. We are surprised why he has not approached the court which would be faster for him to get justice if actually justice is what he is looking for but he has decided to go through the police. The Police have denied the young bail and by Monday, he would have been held in detention for 72 hours which is against his fundamental human rights. We will be looking at that aspect when we approach the court to seek justice for the young man who has been so arrested.

“This Govérnor has the time to go to the police on an issue that ordinarily should be considered as civil in nature because you are looking at a case of a citizen having written in public space questioning the application of public funds and the Governor has instituted a petition to arrest and prosecute this young man.

“We find this very very surprising and now they say he is in Kigali,Rwanda, no one in this state was informed by Governor Hyacinth Alia that he is going to Kigali. Who has he left the governance of the State in his hands? We do not know. This governor has all the time to frolick about while Benue State is bleeding. Insecurity, poverty are at endemic level yet he has the time to arrest Paul Terhemba Gyenger. We as a party because he is part of PDP, we are not taking this lying down. We will resist impunity, irony, authoritarianism, political witch hunt, this persecution that has been the badge of the Alia Government or regime in Benue State.

“We are exploring all legal means at our disposal not just to ensure that the young man get justice served to him but whatever right that has infringed upon is appropriately redeemed. I do not live under fear so long as I am within the armbit of what is permitted to me by law, I have no reason to watch my back. As the spokesperson of the PDP in the State and also, my status as barrister at equity, I understand what is permitted to me by law and what is not. So, I do my job which is civil and constitutional in line with what the law permits me. To that extent, I have no reason whatsoever to fear. In any case, it is clearly my understanding and am proud of it. The PDP has remained the compass by which the APC in the State conduct its affair. Talking about the Palliative, if we had not raised the alarm that there were fears that these Palliatives were going to be mismanaged, then he would not have even seen a reason to come out and say anything about the same Palliatives and by the time he came out, he only validated and confirmed our fears that as of a fact, he has misappropriated the Palliatives already. He has gone ahead to dispense money through an approach that is not recognized by law. That is corruption and financial crime and we will not stop to question these misdeed, misdemeanor and act of Alia sole administratorship of Benue State.

“Our duty is to the people of this state and the Federal Republic of Nigeria upon which we took oath of office, of which I took oath to discharge my duty as the spokesperson of the PDP and to that extent, I do not have to watch my back”, Bemgba said confidently.