The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has challenged Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, to publicly name the politicians he claims are behind the ongoing killings in the state.

 

In a strongly worded statement released on Saturday, the Benue chapter of the PDP accused Governor Alia of shirking responsibility and engaging in political blame-shifting over the persistent insecurity. This response follows Alia’s appearance on Channels Television, where he alleged that some political figures from Benue based in Abuja were fueling the violence back home.

 

Tim Nyor, the PDP’s Publicity Secretary in Benue, described the governor’s comments as reckless and an act of political escapism. According to Nyor, such unfounded allegations distract from the real issues at hand and delay meaningful actions that could resolve the crisis.

 

The opposition party expressed concern that instead of implementing substantive security strategies, Governor Alia continues to deflect blame—sometimes pointing fingers at Abuja-based politicians, at other times foreign aggressors—without confronting the root causes of the attacks.

 

PDP argued that while states like Plateau and Taraba are also battling similar threats, their governments have adopted more pragmatic and responsible approaches, unlike Alia’s administration which resorts to finger-pointing.

 

The party emphasized that attacks by armed herdsmen in Benue long predate Governor Alia’s tenure and were recognized and addressed directly by past governors such as Samuel Ortom and Gabriel Suswam without engaging in political scapegoating.

 

The PDP criticized the governor’s approach as lacking in logic and reason, warning that such tactics could derail genuine efforts to restore peace. They further stated that Alia’s accusations, if genuine, should be backed by credible evidence submitted to the appropriate security authorities, rather than being used as political propaganda.

 

Concluding its statement, the PDP urged Governor Alia to rise above politics and take meaningful, inclusive steps toward solving the state’s security challenges, stressing that true leadership requires courage, responsibility, and integrity—especially from someone who also carries the moral authority of a Reverend.