The Chairman of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) in Benue State and Chairman of the Coalition of Registered Political Parties (CRPP), Comrade Simon Ogbe, has issued a strong warning to the Executive Governor of Benue State, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, urging him to prove Senator Abba Moro wrong by taking immediate steps to demonstrate genuine fairness, love, and inclusiveness toward the people of Benue South.
Comrade Ogbe reminded the governor that one of his major campaign promises was to appoint an Idoma person as Secretary to the State Government (SSG), a promise that remains unfulfilled. He stressed that the continued neglect of this commitment only strengthens criticisms that the administration has sidelined Zone C.
Reacting to Senator Abba Moro’s recent assertion that the governor has denied Benue South critical infrastructural development while focusing heavily on Makurdi and Vandeikya Ogbe said the rising public outcry should not be taken lightly. According to him, the governor must act decisively now before the dissatisfaction grows into deeper political resentment.
He warned that electoral victory is won in the rural communities, not just the towns, and that concentrating development in urban centers while rural farmers struggle without access roads is both unjust and politically dangerous.
Comrade Ogbe further described the Alia administration as operating on a “winner-takes-all” mentality one that has alienated opposition voices and even influential members of the ruling party. He cautioned that shutting people out of governance is the quickest path to losing public goodwill and weakening unity in the state.
While calling for restraint from political leaders and the public, Ogbe emphasized that respecting the office of the governor does not mean staying silent in the face of bad decisions. He warned that those who praise the governor blindly are doing more harm than good.
He reminded Governor Alia that the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu thrives on inclusiveness, consultation, and political accommodation even of critics. Anything short of that at the state level, he said, is a deviation that could cost the governor the trust of the people.
Ogbe added that leadership is measured not by power but by fairness, tolerance, and how every ethnic group feels under one administration.
He issued a stern reminder to Governor Alia:
“The office you hold today will not be yours forever. As a priest and a leader, you must treat others the way you expect to be treated.”
Luke 6:31
Comrade Ogbe concluded with a clear warning that the people of Benue South have not been treated fairly under the present administration. He urged the governor to urgently address the infrastructural decay in Zone C and fulfill his promises before it becomes too late.
“Your best is not good enough yet. Benue is watching, and you must rise to the challenge because you sought this mandate,” he cautioned.
