Benue APC Tackles Wike, Urges Him To Focus On FCT Ministerial Duties

The Benue State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has tackled the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, urging him to concentrate on his ministerial responsibilities in Abuja rather than involve himself in the political affairs of Benue State.

The APC, in a statement by its State Publicity Secretary, Benedict Yawe, said the political future of Benue should be determined by its people, insisting that the state was not Rivers State.

“Benue is not Rivers State, and the political future of the state must be determined by its people,” the party stated.

The APC said its reaction followed comments by Wike, whom it described as a leading figure in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), concerning reported monthly Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) receipts of ₦30 billion by Benue State.

The party also linked its response to a statement by the Benue PDP demanding answers from Governor Hyacinth Iormem Alia over the state’s revenue and expenditure.

“If Wike has authoritative information about Benue’s FAAC receipts, he should present the relevant figures and context to promote informed public discussion,” Yawe said.

The APC urged Wike to apply the same standards of accountability to his political allies, including former Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom, arguing that political relationships should not shield public officials from scrutiny.

“Political relationships should not shield any former or serving public official from legitimate scrutiny,” the statement added.

The ruling party in Benue also challenged the state chapter of the PDP to explain the financial record of the Ortom administration before criticising Alia over revenue management and public expenditure.

“The PDP governed Benue State for more than two decades, including eight years under Ortom. However, its record during that period continues to attract questions about public finance, workers’ welfare, infrastructure and the management of government-owned assets,” the APC stated.

The party maintained that any opposition party demanding accountability from the present administration must also be prepared to answer questions about its own time in government.

It specifically cited a reported ₦139.8 billion discrepancy identified by the Benue State Income and Expenditure Commission of Inquiry in financial records covering 2015 to 2023.

The APC called on the PDP to address the commission’s findings and provide clear explanations regarding the issues raised.

It also demanded clarification on the reported disposal of government-owned assets and enterprises during the Ortom administration.

“Benue people deserve to know what public assets were sold or disposed of, the proceeds realised and how the transactions served the public interest. These are legitimate questions about public resources that should be addressed transparently,” the party said.

On the reported ₦30 billion in monthly FAAC receipts, the APC called for accurate figures and proper context, stressing the need to distinguish allocations to the state government from those made to the 23 local government councils.

It noted that monthly receipts could fluctuate and that statutory deductions and existing financial obligations affected the funds available for expenditure.

“The relevant figures must therefore be established before conclusions are drawn about the resources available to the Alia administration,” the statement said.

Defending the governor’s performance, the APC said Alia’s administration, since assuming office in May 2023, had pursued initiatives in education, workers’ welfare, infrastructure and agriculture.

It listed the recruitment of more than 9,700 primary school teachers, the provision of free basic education from Basic One to Basic Nine, the implementation of a ₦75,000 minimum wage and road construction projects across the state among the administration’s achievements.

The party also said the government had pursued efforts to revive moribund industries, strengthen agricultural development and improve security through logistical support for security agencies and other interventions.

The APC insisted that the administration’s performance should be assessed objectively, based on verifiable results, its financial obligations and the challenges inherited from previous governments.

It further challenged the PDP to explain its record in office, address questions surrounding the financial obligations inherited by the present administration and demonstrate that its criticism of Alia was based on verifiable facts.

“The Benue APC reaffirms its commitment to transparency, responsible public finance and good governance. The party maintains that accountability must apply to every administration and that public resources must be managed in the best interests of the people.

“It therefore challenges the PDP to address questions surrounding its years in power rather than focus exclusively on the present administration,” the statement said.

The APC added that Alia remained focused on governance, public service delivery and fulfilling his mandate to the people of Benue State, while urging political actors to engage in constructive debate based on verifiable facts, consistent standards of accountability and the public interest.