Ifeanyi Ejiofor, legal counsel to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has strongly criticized Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, claiming he is unfit for political leadership and should return to the pulpit.
In a statement issued on Friday, Ejiofor reacted to the governor’s comments discouraging residents from engaging in self-defense amidst escalating attacks by suspected herdsmen. He described Alia’s stance as “distressing and disheartening,” accusing him of abandoning the people he swore to protect.
“Governor Alia’s call on unarmed and defenceless citizens to refrain from defending themselves against bloodthirsty invaders is not just a dereliction of duty—it is a betrayal of the collective agony of the Benue people who have endured one of the gravest humanitarian crises in modern Nigeria,” Ejiofor said.
He argued that Alia’s background as a clergyman may have equipped him for spiritual leadership but has left him unprepared for the harsh realities of governance in a conflict-ridden state.
“The governor’s approach to leadership reflects a tragic disconnect from the brutal realities on the ground. His training may have prepared him for sermons, not the strategic decisions demanded in a time of war,” he added.
Ejiofor called on the Federal Government, led by President Bola Tinubu, to declare a state of emergency in Benue. However, if the presidency fails to act, he said the Benue State House of Assembly must invoke its constitutional powers.
“If Governor Alia has chosen to preach peace where there is none, the House must rise to the occasion. They have the constitutional backing to act in defense of their people and, if necessary, return him to the pulpit where idealism thrives but governance falters,” Ejiofor concluded.
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