The Benue State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described Governor Hyacinth Alia’s ongoing thank-you tour as a “celebration of failure,” alleging that the governor should instead account for more than N1 trillion said to have accrued to the state over the past three years.
The party said the funds allegedly came from federal allocations, internally generated revenue, loans and foreign grants between May 29, 2023 and August 2026.
In a statement issued in Makurdi on Saturday, the PDP State Publicity Secretary, Bright Antyo, described the All Progressives Congress (APC) thank-you tour as an exercise in “political deception and self-glorification.”
Antyo questioned why the governor was embarking on the tour at a time the party alleged that residents were battling impassable roads, poor healthcare facilities, abandoned projects, unemployment and persistent insecurity.
He asked what the governor was thanking the people for, particularly farmers allegedly unable to access their farmlands because of insecurity, displaced persons living in camps and host communities, unemployed youths and communities awaiting basic amenities.
“The painful question therefore remains: What exactly is Governor Alia thanking the people for?” Antyo asked.
“Is he thanking the farmers who can no longer safely access their farmlands because of insecurity? Is he thanking the displaced persons languishing in camps and host communities? Is he thanking the countless youths without jobs or the communities still waiting for basic amenities that should have been provided years ago?”
The PDP spokesperson maintained that public funds should be directed towards improving security, infrastructure and the welfare of residents rather than political rallies and what he described as self-congratulatory activities.
He said development should be visible, measurable and impactful, with residents able to identify completed roads, functional health centres, improved schools, secured communities and businesses supported by government policies.
According to him, there was a disconnect between the revenues allegedly received by the state and the living conditions of many residents.
Antyo said the people deserved a transparent account of how public funds had been utilised since Alia assumed office in May 2023.
“Benue people have been demanding answers to no avail. They demand a transparent account of how public funds have been utilised between May 29, 2023 and August 2026,” he said.
He added that rather than turning the thank-you tour into what he described as a “travelling carnival of political praise-singing,” Governor Alia should provide a comprehensive account of his stewardship.
Antyo said the governor should disclose how much had accrued to the state and local governments, the projects completed, the amount spent on each project and their impact on the lives of the people.
The PDP spokesman urged Benue residents to continue demanding accountability through peaceful, lawful and democratic means, insisting that citizens had a constitutional right to scrutinise public spending and demand transparency from those entrusted with public resources.
