Benue Governor Briefs Tinubu on State Security, Politics, and Development

Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia has provided President Bola Tinubu with a comprehensive update on the state's security situation, the progress of internally displaced persons (IDPs) returning to their communities, and ongoing development initiatives. The briefing followed recent celebrations marking Benue's 50th anniversary, an event President Tinubu attended.

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On a number of counts, the president visited the state just one week ago to witness Benue at 50 as an independent sub-national.

Governor Alia reported that security has seen improvement compared to previous months, although concerns persist as displaced residents gradually resettle. He highlighted the importance of this period, stating, "This is a farming season for us. We are the food basket of the nation. If the IDPs are voluntarily going home, do we still have some anxieties out there? So the answer is yes."

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You know previously we’ve had a lot of insecurity… so it’s calmed down. He needed to know the position of the IDPs now in the state.

Beyond security, the governor discussed the political landscape in Benue following the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary elections. While acknowledging some "agitations" among party faithful, Alia expressed confidence in President Tinubu's democratic approach to resolving such issues and reaffirmed his belief in the APC's continued unity. He pledged to "double the numbers" for the president in the upcoming 2027 general elections.

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There have been some agitations from the very APC faithful after the primaries, but I believe that it’s going to calm down.

Furthermore, Alia informed President Tinubu about significant infrastructure and industrial projects. He noted that the President had commissioned the Benue Food and Fruit Processing Company during the anniversary events, with a beer factory and a fruit juice factory awaiting commissioning. The First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, also inaugurated 10 urban renewal roads during the celebrations, underscoring the administration's focus on development.

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As I won the election the first time, we’re going to double the numbers for him, and APC will continue to remain just one threshold, and we’re going to make it good for him and for the entire Benue State as well.