By Francis Atume, Makurdi
The Chief Press Secretary to the Benue State governor,Tersoo Kula has disclosed that his principal is not bothered about the political gang-up against him by the so called rainbow coalition or the strategic partnership of the opposition.
Kula who was reacting to comments credited to the factional chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Benue State, Austin Agada, that the party will teach Governor Alia a political lesson during a media interaction with journalists yesterday in Makurdi,said the governor is aware of the gang-up but the development is not coming as a surprise to him.
He said the governor on assumption of office took the step of a reformer and because of this he has no friend, noting that when you want to make reformations in government, people don’t like you to a point that they want you dead, and explained as the reason why beneficiaries of the old order don’t like the governor.
“You may ask, who are the people doing the gang-up, are they farmers, traders, or the masses the governor is working for?” Kula queried, insisting that the governor’s destiny will not be determined by a few in the likes of the former APC chairman, Austin Agada who during a recent interview vowed to teach the Governor a political lesson by showing him the way out.
He recalled that Agada unfortunately did not deliver his polling unit during the last election, stressing that because of the reason,he changed his polling unit when he was party chairman.
“If Agada was not able to deliver his polling unit, how can he deliver a Local Government and the entire state?” he said.
The chief spokesperson to the governor equally accused Agada of selling the party during the last election by collecting money from Senator Abba Moro to deliver the PDP, a reason he alleged the APC at his ward suspended him.
Kula who said Father Alia was not coming for the likes of Austin Agada or selected personalities but for the masses of Benue State, noted that for the past 34 years,Father Alia has worked as a priest with the people, sometimes going about in rural communities on bicycle to access the most remote communities.
“One did not need to tell him that schools are to undergo renovation in Mbagen, drugs are needed in a community health centre in Achidam etc,” he said, pointing out that apart from his appointees, the governor uses priests who he considers as representatives of various communities who provide him with first-hand information.
Kula who said Father Alia is not God but has his way of touching the lives of Benue people and has done development through construction of township among others sectors across board, insisted that government is not afraid of any coalition as long as it is not coming from the masses.
He said government would always remain open to constructive criticisms as well as welcome anybody ready to work with his administration as a father priest and leader of the party in Benue state, urging the people to sustain support for the governor beyond 2027 to enable him consolidate on his achievements.
