Politics
Benue: PDP tasks EFCC to probe, prosecute officials accused of corruption
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State has called on the anti-corruption agencies in the country such as EFCC, ICPC and DSS to ensure that officials of the Benue State government who have been fingered in the alleged embezzlement of local government funds are brought to justice.
The PDP which made the call in a statement signed by its state Publicity Secretary, Chief Bemgba Iortyom, described as unacceptable, reports of mismanagement of taxpayers’ monies by the Governor Hyacinth Alia administration in which N20 billion out of N50 billion belonging to the 23 local government councils in the state has allegedly been deducted and paid illegally into private accounts.
The statement read:
“The constitution of two panels by Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, to probe the administration of his immediate predecessor, Chief Samuel Ortom, is evidently a ploy to shied from public scrutiny the serial failures of his government.
“In what may be interpreted as lack of confidence in the Benue Judicial family, Governor Alia selected two justices from outside the state to head the two panels which are vested with separate mandates to probe into the assets and finances of the state during the era of the Ortom administration from May 29, 2015 to May 28, 2023.
“Chief Ortom, who since the expiry of his two terms in office as governor has lived freely among the people in the state, has since expressed his readiness to submit himself before any lawful process as will require him to give account of his stewardship as governor.
“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, likewise, recognizes the place of probity and accountability as necessary components of good governance, and will stand by its Leader, Chief Ortom, through this process of stock-taking, if that is actually what it will be.
“Nevertheless, the party raises questions as to the timing of the probe exercise, coming it at a time Governor Alia’s table is already full with issues of insecurity and allegations of monumental corruption taking place under his watch.
“PDP recalls that only last week the governor issued a 14 days ultimatum to Fulani herdsmen who have instreamed into the state with thousands of cattle to leave, however, there was no clear statement on the consequences for non compliance with the ultimatum.
“Today marks the 8th day into that ultimatum and if anything, the herders have intensified their influx into the state coming in larger numbers and with larger herds of livestock, thereby deepening insecurity and putting to greater jeopardy the survival of the people who depend on the land for basic sustenance.
“There has also arisen the allegations of massive corruption taking place at the Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs where sharp practices have been exposed in the form of illegal deductions and remittances from the accounts of the 23 local government councils into private accounts of certain officials of government and some suspected cronies of the governor.
“In the last few days, the national media have been awash with news of civil society groups who, having observed the fleece taking place at the Benue State local government Bureau, have forwarded petitions regarding those allegations to anti-corruption authorities vested with the powers for investigating and prosecuting financial crimes, and the sums involved run into tens of billions of naira within a period of less than a year.
“PDP notes with sadness that those allegations of mismanagement of taxpayers monies by the Alia government are such that an alleged N20 billion out of N50 billion belonging to the 23 local government councils has been deducted into illegal accounts, and this hints loudly at the reason why Governor Alia had gone to the extremities of disregarding series of court orders to sack the lawful councils and put in their place his selected cronies as caretaker chairmen.
“Also of grave concern are the allegations that an estimated close to N300 million was deducted from the local government funds monthly purportedly to feed and cater for the IDPs in the state, yet it is not anywhere known that the Alia government has any programme in place for the IDPs.
“PDP cautions Governor Alia against trifling with the security and well-being of the people of Benue State whom he swore on oath to serve, and must resist the temptation to indulge in vendetta and smokescreens while insecurity and poverty pose an increasingly monstrous existential threat to the people.
“The party also calls on the EFCC, ICPC, DSS and the Presidency to ensure that those officials of the Alia administration fingered in the alleged grand theft of local government funds in the state are brought to book.“
The All Progressives Congress is poised to wrest control of all six Federal Capital Territory (FCT) area councils from the opposition, the party’s National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, has declared.
Yilwatda made the announcement on Friday during the inauguration of a 138-member National Campaign Council for the FCT Area Council elections at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja.
He instructed the committee, led by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, to mobilise support and deploy strategies aimed at securing all six chairmanship positions and 62 councillors seats in the polls scheduled for Saturday, February 21, 2026.
The chairman further urged the campaign team to capitalise on the growing influx of prominent political figures joining the party daily, emphasising that their involvement would strengthen the APC’s chances of victory across the FCT.
“With the calibre of people coming into the party on a daily basis, I will advise the committee to mobilize and put in place a strategy to claim the FCT. Those who worked against the party are now with us, and we should be able to leverage that to win the next Saturday election in the FCT.
“We must ensure we win the 6 Area councils and 62 councillorship seats,” the Chairman directed the committee.
The chairman added that the campaign council will focus on two major objectives — aggressive mobilisation of voters and deployment of well-articulated strategies to secure victory on Election Day.
He explained that the composition of the campaign council reflects Nigeria’s geopolitical diversity, noting that Abuja is home to residents from all parts of the country.
He stated that leaders from the South-South, South-East, North-Central, North-East, and North-West have been strategically assigned to mobilise residents from their respective regions who reside in the FCT.
“The FCT belongs to all Nigerians. If we execute our strategies effectively and work as one united party, victory is assured,” he said.
Addressing newsmen after the inauguration, the National Chairman dispelled the claim that only opposition parties are on the campaign trail, with major opposition leaders leading.
Responding to the allegation, Yilwatda said, “Who told you they were not campaigning? The campaign is done at the grassroots, among our people, across all tribes of Nigeria. It’s not selective. We have our governors who have been coming to town.
“They are from the South-South, South-East, North-Central, and North-West, representing all regions of the country. We have governors from all these regions, and all of them have been reaching out to the people in their own way, going to the communities, and they have dispatched leadership within those groups and tribes.
“So, we are mobilizing more than any other political party in Nigeria. We are confident we will win the election,” Yilwatda boasted.
Assuring the party of delivery, the campaign committee Chairman and Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, said his council would not disappoint the party leadership for the trust and confidence reposted on the committee.
AbdulRazaq then called on party members in the FCT to team up together for the victory of the party.
In his remarks, the Secretary of the Council and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu said the committee “will bring the energy of the young minds, the innovative mindedness of the young people to push the agenda to the grassroots.
“We will be on the streets. We will be in every household. We will go door to door, business to business, to sell the message of APC.
“It will no longer be mentioned that APC lost the election in Abuja. That was in the past. We are about to rewrite history. My people that I love so much, the people, my Igbo people that I love and who loves me will not allow me to be ashamed knowing fully well that I’m at the helm of affairs to make sure that the bulk vote of the Igbo communities in Abuja that we harvest them for the greatest party within the black race that is called the APC.”
Earlier, the Deputy National Organizing Secretary, Nze Chidi Duru, said the campaign council was enlarged from 137 to 138 to accommodate the former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello.
A former National Women Leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hajiya Maria Waziri, has left the PDP for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kebbi State.
Waziri made her decision public on Monday at the Government House in Birnin Kebbi, where she arrived with a group of her supporters to formally register with the APC.
She was received by the state governor, Nasir Idris, who praised her move and described it as coming at the right time for the party and the state.
The governor assured Waziri and those who came with her that they would be fully accepted into the APC without discrimination.
Idris said the ruling party remained open to all politicians who were ready to contribute to the development of Kebbi State.
He added that his administration would continue to focus on projects and policies that improve the lives of residents, regardless of their political background.
The governor also spoke about his personal relationship with Waziri, noting that he was familiar with her experience and political strength and believed she would add value to the party and the state.
The APC chairman in Kebbi State, Abubakar Kana-Zuru, also welcomed the former PDP leader and her supporters.
He assured them that they would enjoy equal rights and opportunities within the party, just like other members.
Kana-Zuru pointed to the achievements of the current administration in the state and said Waziri’s decision to join the APC showed confidence in the direction of the government.
Speaking on her decision, Waziri explained that her move was influenced by the performance of the APC-led government in Kebbi State and at the national level. She noted that this was her first time changing political parties in about 20 years.
She said she had spent most of her political life in opposition and chose to remain there until now, but recent developments in governance convinced her to take a new path.
Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have said the candidacy of former Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, in the 2027 governorship election will make the party’s electoral victory seamless in the state.
The party members made this declaration during the South-South APC Lagos State Women Forum PVC Sensitisation Exercise and APC e-Registration Mobilisation held in Ikorodu area of the state that was propelled by the Tinubu – Ambode Support Group.
The party faithful, women leaders, and grassroots mobilizers had gathered at the event to strengthen the party’s base and encourage wider political participation.
In her address at the event, group women leader, Mrs. Justina Osara, emphasized that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and former Governor Ambode remained symbols of purposeful leadership, visionary governance, and people-oriented administration.
Osara noted that Ambode’s track record in office speaks volumes, particularly in the areas of infrastructure development, public service reforms, and inclusive governance.
According to her, Ambode’s re-emergence on the political stage would bring renewed confidence, unity, and strategic direction to APC, especially at the grassroots level where his policies and projects positively impacted ordinary citizens.
She commended women leaders from the South-South community for their commitment to democratic participation through PVC sensitisation and active involvement in the APC e-registration process, describing them as the backbone of grassroots mobilisation and a critical force in shaping electoral success.
Speakers at the event described former Governor Ambode as a leader who listens, delivers, and prioritizes the welfare of the people, and further described him as a bridge-builder, a technocrat with a human face, and a dependable political asset whose leadership style aligns with the aspirations of party members and the general populace.
They concluded by assuring APC members that with renewed mobilisation, unity, and the strategic inclusion of experienced leaders like Ambode, the party stands on a stronger footing to achieve greater electoral victories and deliver more dividends of democracy to the people of Lagos State and beyond.
They urged all members, especially women and youth, to continue participating actively in PVC registration, party e-registration, and grassroots mobilisation, stressing that collective effort was key to securing a more prosperous future for the APC.
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