2027: Alia not afraid of Rainbow Coalition challenge — Aide

File: Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State

The Chief Press Secretary to the Benue State Governor, Kula Tersoo, on Wednesday, declared that Governor Hyacinth Alia is not afraid of the Rainbow Coalition being sponsored in the state to thwart his second-term bid.

Recently, Austin Agada, the factional chairman of the All Progressives Congress in the state and loyal to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, threatened that the Rainbow Coalition would teach Alia a lesson in 2027.

The coalition is a political movement under the leadership of Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

Reacting to Agada’s comments during an interaction with journalists in Makurdi on Wednesday, Tersoo said the governor anticipated the gang-up, “knowing fully well that a reformer has no friend.”

Tersoo said, “People say there is a coalition; it is not strange. Austin Agada came to say they will teach the governor a lesson. This is a man who failed to win his polling unit during the last election in 2023.

He even engaged in anti-party activity and was suspended by his ward executive.

“People speak as if they are God. Governor Alia is with the masses of Benue State. Before becoming governor, as a priest, he was representative of the people and knew their challenges. Let the people themselves come out and reject him.”

Tersoo maintained that Alia’s administration was undeterred and rather focused on intensifying efforts to implement reforms across critical sectors, with the ultimate objective of improving the living conditions of residents.

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He said, “The governor’s reform-driven approach informed the decision of the Tiv traditional council to confer on him the chieftaincy title of “Asortar U Benue,” meaning “The Reformer of Benue State.”

He said, “Governor Alia is not distracted but remains focused, more than ever before, to deliver democratic dividends to the people.

“The beneficiaries of this administration, including workers, market women, youths and the masses, appreciate Alia’s good works and would re-elect him in 2027.”

On the lingering political cold war between the governor and SGF, Kula insisted that the governor, as the leader of the party in the state, would not bow down to an individual but to the masses.

Asked why the governor flouted the directive of the President to give all incumbent House of Representatives automatic tickets during the primaries, Tersoo said the state has its political peculiarities.

“In Benue, we respect rotational arrangement as well as performance of an individual. Even the governor is a product of rotational arrangement,” he said.