The Mbangur Community Elites Coalition, on Friday, 24th January, 2025, passed a vote of confidence on Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Alia, the Executive Governor of Benue State. The coalition’s spokesman, Comrade Akpenpuun Terhide James, read to journalists the communique issued after their meeting in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.
Mbangur Community Elites Coalition is a political pressure group comprising blood-line relatives of the governor.
The coalition says it is overwhelmed with joy because of the good works the governor has so far done “in just over one year and seven months in office.”
They named “massive roads constructions, establishment of factories through the BIPC for the production of bread, water, fertilizer and ZEVA lager beer, constructions and renovations of the state secretariat, installations of street lights within the state capital Makurdi, massive employment at Benue State University Teaching Hospital and ongoing massive teachers employment exercise at SUBEB, regular and prompt payment of civil servants salaries, pensions and gratuities, procuring of new buses at Benue Links and revamp of the old abandoned buses to ease intra and interstate transportation for the masses, giving maximum attention to security challenges with the recent launching of the Benue State Civil Protection Security, adequate supply, availability and affordable fertilizer and agro-chemicals for farmers, general welfare of the masses amongst several other achievements,” as some of the reasons that informed the confidence vote.
The coalition says it is “working assiduously to bridging the gaps of misunderstandings, unguarded utterances, falsehood, and sometimes acts to undermine the personality and office of the governor from some quarters and hope to create harmony and unity of purpose that would further benefit and develop the state” and envisions a “one united Benue State under the pilot-ship of His Excellency Governor Hyacinth Iormem Alia.”
“The entire Mbangur Community is solidly behind Governor Hyacinth Iormem Alia, first, as our son and brother and, secondly, as the leader of Benue State.
“We shall continue to stand with him, by him and for him until he successfully completes his eight years as governor of Benue State and beyond,” part of the communique read.
The coalition says it is proud of the governor and “satisfied with the work he is doing to alleviate the sufferings of the Benue people and for the development of the state at large.
“We shall continue to support and pray for him to be strong and courageous to do much more through the power and guidance of Almighty God. Amen!”
While appealing to those who may have been aggrieved for one reason or another to come back and support the governor “to put Benue state on a new map of development,” the coalition says it “shall no longer condone or be silent over public unguarded utterances against Governor Alia and acts capable of undermining his personality and office from any individuals or group of persons.”
“We shall do our best to embrace with open arms those who have seen the light and are willing to retrace their steps to support our brother, Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia.
“In conclusion, we wish to thank His Excellency Rev. Fr. Dr Hyacinth Iormem Alia for the move to establish a new University of Agriculture, Science, and Technology. While we urge the Benue State House of Assembly to pass the Bill into Law expeditiously, we also appreciate those who have taken a stand with the governor against all odds and have remained firm and steadfast with him to this point. We encourage you not to be discouraged.
“Lastly, we thank the Benue masses for believing in Governor Alia and giving him maximum support. We encourage you to remain steadfast as the Governor is committed to addressing the state’s backwardness in all facets.”
