February 21, (THEWILL) – Governorship candidate on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue state, Revd Fr Hycinth Alia, has described the amnesty programme being run by the present administration as ‘phoney’, promising to implement a honest amnesty for criminals in Benue state if elected governor and Tinubu as president.
He said his good plans and promises for the state will be easier to fulfil if Bola Ahmed Tinubu is elected President, adding that he can vouch for the proactive and candour
of the APC presidential flag bearer.
Decrying a situation where a phoney amnesty was once hurriedly arranged with hypes and braggadocio by the Samuel Ortom-led administration in the state, he noted was aimed at achieving a cheap popularity.
“It is unfortunate that many criminals that would have been properly rehabilitated and reintegrated to be useful to the society have gone back to perpetrating societal ills.”
Father Alia, who spoke at Tor-donga in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of the state during a campaign rally, noted that the neighbouring communities remains dreaded as hub of criminal activities, even after the death of a criminal kingpin, Terwase Akwaza, alias ‘Gana’, who reigned supreme following the failure of Ortom’s amnesty programme.
Alia, who was earlier feted by unions in the Local Government including Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), College of Education Academic Staff Union (COASU), National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), among others, promised to wipe off their tears if voted into office.
“I beg you to come out en masse this Saturday and vote Bola Ahmed Tinubu as president of Nigeria and other APC candidates in the state.”
Alia, who dismissed what he referred to as ‘mischievous tagging of the APC ticket as a Muslim-Muslim ticket’, said those playing the religious card are out to blackmail and confuse Nigerians to their advantage.
“Tinubu has a wife who is not only a Christian, but a pastor. If he cannot Islamise his wife and children, why would one think he will Islamise Nigeria, if not mischief. I assure you, Jagaban is the only person I believe will answer any time I knock at the presidency. Just do me this favour and vote for him.”
The APC gubernatorial campaign train is billed to round off the tour of seven local government areas that make up Benue North East senatorial district before Saturday.
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