PRESS RELEASE
By : ACCOUNTABILITY AND DEVELOPMENT ADVOCATES
TWO YEARS OF GOVERNOR HYACINTH ALIA’S ADMINISTRATION: AN UNVARNISHED APPRAISAL
29th May 2025, marks two years since Governor Hyacinth Alia assumed office in Benue State. What should have been a period of hope and transformative progress has instead become a time marked by unfulfilled promises, governance failures, and a deepening crisis of security and neglect — especially for the people of Benue South. Despite unprecedented financial inflows, Governor Alia’s administration stands exposed as one of the worst performing in Nigeria, ranking 34th nationally with a meager 25% judicious use of allocated resources, according to the latest Contemporary Governance Performance Inde.
We present the following critical observations and reflections on his tenure so far, anchored in verifiable facts and the stark reality on the ground:
1. ALIA’S EMPTY PROMISES AND THE EXPOSED REALITY
Governor Alia entered office riding on a carefully constructed image of incorruptibility and divine mandate — a “messiah” narrative sustained by relentless propaganda rather than tangible governance achievements. Yet, this illusion has crumbled. The so-called “miracles” of his administration have been nothing but empty slogans, with little to no evidence of systemic reforms or infrastructural progress. Instead, Benue faces stagnation, disillusionment, and widespread public protests signaling the end of the ‘honeymoon’ and a loss of popular confidence.
Further, the administration’s obsession with controlling narratives and suppressing dissent through intimidation and media manipulation only underscores its insecurity about actual performance. The barrage of state-sponsored propaganda has failed to mask the absence of real solutions to the pressing issues of healthcare, education, infrastructure and rural development. Instead of building institutions, the Governor has invested in spectacle over substance, leaving the majority of Benue citizens to bear the brunt of policy neglect.
2. GROSS MISMANAGEMENT DESPITE ENORMOUS FINANCIAL RESOURCES
Since the removal of fuel subsidies, Benue State has enjoyed more than fourfold increases in federal allocations, reportedly averaging over ₦20 billion monthly. While governors in comparable states—like Umar Bago of Niger and Babagana Zulum of Borno—have effectively channeled these resources into infrastructure, agriculture, education, and healthcare, Governor Alia has failed to demonstrate similar leadership. Instead of growth and development, Benue has been trapped in chronic underdevelopment.
For instance, Niger State under Bago acquired over 2,000 tractors and farm implements, improved roads, and expanded urban transit, with 556 road networks and five flyovers commissioned across all 25 local government areas, showcasing effective mobilization of resources to uplift rural economies.
Borno under Zulum rebuilt thousands of classrooms and healthcare facilities amidst security crises, proving that strong leadership can deliver even under adverse conditions.
Abia State, led by another first-time governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, has completed extensive road networks stretching over 100 kilometers, significantly enhancing connectivity and economic activities — a stark contrast to Benue where basic road maintenance is barely visible.
Benue, on the other hand, has little to show beyond the mundane regular salary payments, one of the major the effects of fuel subsidy removal and a controversial underpass project widely criticized as wasteful and emblematic of corrupt practices. The Governor’s inability to deliver even basic infrastructure such as road grading of less than 20 kilometers reflects poor planning and lack of execution capacity. This glaring failure to translate massive allocations into visible developmental projects raises serious questions about governance competence and prioritization.
3. NEPOTISM AND REGIONAL NEGLECT: THE MARGINALISATION OF BENUE SOUTH
One of the most glaring failures of Governor Alia is his blatant neglect of Benue South in appointments, contract awards, and developmental projects. This exclusion is not only unjust but politically dangerous, deepening ethnic divisions and disenfranchisement. While political patronage thrives within his inner circle, communities in the South, such as Apa, Otukpo, and Oju etc, continue to languish without basic infrastructure or social services.
This marginalization has stoked resentment and threatens the fragile social cohesion of Benue State. It is a betrayal of the democratic principle of equitable representation and inclusion, further alienating the South from state governance and resource distribution. In an era when good governance demands unity and balanced development, Governor Alia’s favoritism is not only retrogressive but fuels political instability. Such regional bias undermines efforts to foster trust and cooperation essential for tackling the state’s complex challenges.
4. INSECURITY: THE EPICENTER OF GOVERNANCE FAILURE
Above all, the most devastating indictment of Governor Alia’s leadership is his failure to protect lives and properties amid escalating insecurity. The situation in Benue has deteriorated drastically since 2023, reversing previous trends where states like Niger faced worse security challenges. Today, Benue bleeds with unchecked killings in multiple communities, notably:
Agatu
Agan, Makurdi
Akpuuna, Ukum
Wandor, Gwer
Anwase, Kwande
Ayati and Gbagir, Ukum
Umogidi, Otobi, and Okpamaju, Otukpo
Aondonna, Gwer West
Ankpali Edikwu, Akpete, Ikobi, and Ojantelle, in Apa etc.
These attacks, largely attributed to armed Fulani herdsmen and other criminal elements, have provoked questions about the Governor’s sincerity and commitment. His persistent silence and failure to take decisive action have created an impression of complacency or tacit complicity. Rather than addressing the root causes or strengthening security architecture, Alia resorts to scapegoating and deflecting blame to “foreign terrorists” and other external forces, a rhetoric that insults the intelligence and pain of Benue people.
Moreover, his administration’s security policies appear reactive, disjointed, and inadequately funded, lacking coordination with federal agencies and community stakeholders. While neighboring states have developed community policing initiatives and invested in intelligence gathering, Benue remains vulnerable. The Governor’s failure to articulate a clear and actionable security roadmap has left citizens feeling abandoned and unprotected, eroding public trust in government’s primary responsibility—safeguarding lives.
5. LACK OF INTEGRITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
Governor Alia’s governance is further marred by a pervasive lack of transparency. Despite repeated calls for clarity on budget allocations, revenue management, and project implementation, the administration remains opaque. Public suspicion about corrupt applications of Benue’s revenue is mounting, especially given the dismal 25% resource utilization rating—the third worst in the country.
The administration’s refusal to publish detailed financial reports or subject contracts to independent scrutiny fuels rumors of embezzlement and misappropriation. This secrecy betrays a fundamental disregard for democratic accountability and good governance standards. Meanwhile, public services continue to deteriorate, and citizens face increased hardships. The absence of credible audit reports or public forums for citizens to engage officials compounds the problem, creating an environment where corruption thrives unchecked.
7. A CALL FOR SUSTAINABLE GOVERNANCE ROOTED IN PEOPLE- ENTERED DEVELOPMENT
Contemporary development studies emphasize that “people are the epicenter of development.” Development is not measured by empty rhetoric or symbolic gestures but by the well-being, security, and empowerment of the populace.
For Benue, this means:
Prioritizing human security as the foundation of all policies.
Genuine participatory governance that includes marginalized groups and regions.
Transparency and accountability in resource management.
Investment in infrastructure that serves real needs—not vanity projects.
Resettlement and care for Internally Displaced Persons.
Sustainable, inclusive economic programs that create jobs and reduce inequality.
It requires moving beyond superficial engagements to deep reforms that build resilient institutions capable of addressing systemic challenges. Good governance is inclusive governance, demanding that every citizen, regardless of ethnicity or geography, has a voice in decision-making and a stake in the state’s development. Moreover, tackling Benue’s challenges demands collaborative partnerships with civil society, private sector, and international development agencies—not isolated, top-down approaches that breed apathy and distrust.
Governor Alia must urgently abandon his divisive rhetoric and propaganda machinery. He must listen, engage stakeholders, and adopt a pragmatic, people-centered approach that rebuilds trust, restores peace, and revives development in Benue State.
Without such a fundamental shift, Benue risks further fragmentation, economic decline, and a worsening humanitarian crisis that could jeopardize its future for decades to come. The time for excuses has passed; the time for transformative action is now.
Conclusion:
Two years after promising transformation, Governor Hyacinth Alia has failed the people of Benue. His tenure has been characterized by broken promises, regional neglect, rampant insecurity, poor financial stewardship, and political posturing at the expense of governance. The glaring contrast with peers who manage fewer resources but deliver more tangible results is a sobering indictment.
This failure is not just administrative but moral—one that erodes the very trust on which governance rests. Citizens who elected Governor Alia did so in the hope of change and progress; what they have received instead is neglect and regression. The cost of this failure is measured not just in missed opportunities, but in lost lives, broken communities, and shattered dreams.
Benue State deserves better — it deserves leadership grounded in integrity, accountability, and genuine commitment to the welfare and security of all its citizens.
Accountability and Development Advocates calls on Governor Alia to heed this wake-up call and shift from rhetoric to real governance, from propaganda to performance, and from division to unity.
The people of Benue are watching — history will judge whether the Governor chooses to rise to the challenge or remain complicit in the state’s decline
Signed
Anthony Odihi
Convener
