August 07, (THEWILL) – The Tiv Youth Organisation (TYO) has said that they shunned the EndbadGovernance protest in Benue State in honour of Governor Hyacinth Alia’s appeal and not for national assembly members or federal appointees from the state.
“We address you with heavy hearts over claims of providing direction and support by some of our leaders under the aegis of Benue National Assembly Caucus and Federal Appointees Forum.”
At a news conference in Makurdi, the leader of the group, Mr Vincent Kaior, stated that they commend the forum for viewing with sincere eyes and for appreciating them, saying they feel encouraged to always choose the right path that will ensure peace and enhance development at all times.
TYO, however, noted that while preparing, no member of the National Assembly or Federal Appointees Forum bothered to come home and address youths on the need to shun the protest.
“If for anything, it was His Excellency, Rev. Fr Hyacinth Iormem Alia, the Executive Governor of Benue State, who was dutifully up and doing, putting in great effort which informed our decision to choose peace over protest.
“We shunned the protest in solidarity with the laudable feats achieved by the Governor within the short time he has been in office. These include political appointments/employment to youth, construction of township roads, procurement of vehicles for security operatives, installation of streetlights which has given Makurdi the state capital a facelift.”
TYO listed other projects that endeared them, including the procurement of buses for Benue Links Ltd, renovation of the state secretariat complex, construction of a new House of Assembly Complex, revival of state-owned moribund companies, BIPC Bakery and Water Factory, construction of underpass bridges, prompt payment of workers’ emoluments, pensions, and gratuities, provision of relief materials to IDPs, supply of subsidised herbicides, and fertiliser to farmers.
The group expressed the belief that Governor Alia would take their cries occasioned by the current hardship in the country to President Bola Tinubu for onward action to bring relief.
While acknowledging that some national assembly members may have put in effort in offering support to them, such support is not felt as they made it sound.
It stated that when Sen. George Akume was appointed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Prof. Joseph Utsev was nominated as Minister, the Coalition of Idoma Professionals addressed a press conference calling for the removal of the SGF.
“It is on record that Tiv Youth Organisation swiftly delivered a counter-press conference rebuking the group, which compelled them to apologise for their action. But this meant little or nothing to this forum. Our father, the SGF, has never appeared to show us that such an action was worthy of commendation.
“Tiv Youth Organisation, the umbrella body of the youths of Tiv extraction, has never received any palliatives or relief materials from federal appointees or the national assembly forum. The administration of President Tinubu is encouraging agriculture. However, this forum does not deem it wise to release incentives like herbicides or fertiliser to members of TYO to enhance food productivity.
TYO decried a situation where a planned meeting of one faction of the ruling APC is in the offing, noting that such is capable of causing chaos in the state and enjoins the group to give peace a chance.
