The Benue State government strongly criticized Sen. Abba Moro, the Senate minority leader, for his Senate motion advocating a suspension of federal funds to local government councils with undemocratic structures in Benue and other areas.
In a joint press briefing held in Makurdi, the Special Adviser on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. Dennise Akura, and the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Tersoo Kula, expressed dismay over Moro’s statements. They accused him of spreading baseless falsehoods and unwarranted implications concerning the state of local government administration in Benue.
They refuted Moro’s claims, stating that he misrepresented facts by suggesting that elected local government chairmen were unlawfully dissolved, whereas they were legally relieved of their positions due to their involvement in significant fraudulent activities.
Contrary to Moro’s assertions, they clarified that Governor Alia did not dissolve the democratically elected local government leadership; instead, it was the constitutional authority of the Benue State House of Assembly to legislate over the local government that facilitated the dismissal.
Kula emphasized that the appointment of caretaker chairmen was necessary to prevent a void in governance after the removal of former council chairmen. This action followed the findings of the Benue State House of Assembly, which investigated and found the former chairmen guilty of substantial financial misconduct.
Accusing Moro of engaging in partisan mischief, especially given his prior roles as Caretaker chairman and Sole Administrator of Okpokwu Local Government Council, Kula highlighted Moro’s sudden change in stance regarding caretaker chairmen.
He called upon Moro to issue an unequivocal apology to the people of the state and the Benue State House of Assembly for his misleading statements.
Kula called on the Senate to always properly scrutinize its motion papers “to avoid a repeat of Moro’s mischief and to prevent them being made a laughing stock by the public.”