By Peter Oriri
The Concerned Elders in Guma Local Government Area, Benue State, have penned an open letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, urging his intervention in the forthcoming Guma 1 State Constituency Bye Election scheduled for February 3rd, 2024.
The letter was Signed by 12 local elders and copied to key officials including the National Chairman of APC, DSS, and Benue APC State Chairman, the letter highlights the importance of Mr. President’s leadership in ensuring the integrity of Nigeria’s democracy and the need for free, fair, and transparent bye-elections in Guma.
READ THE FULL LETTER BELOW
His Excellency,
The President,
Federal Republic of Nigeria,
Presidential Villa, Abuja,
Nigeria.
2nd February 2024
Dear Sir,
IMPENDING BREAK DOWN OF LAW IN GUMA LOCAL GOVERNMENT BYE-ELECTION
We the concerned elders in Guma Local Government Area, Benue State wishes to write and draw the attention of the President and Commander-in-Chief of Armed Forces Federal Republic of Nigeria to the alarming situation surrounding the upcoming Guma 1 State Constituency Bye Election scheduled to hold February 3rd 2024 in Benue State.
It is with great concern that we have come together from our various council wards of Mbawa, Mbabai, Uvir, Nyiev, Mbayer/Yandev, and Mbadwen to express our worries about the destructive activities attributed to the Executive Governor of Benue State, His Excellency, Dr. Hyacinth Iormen Alia.
We have unraveled reports of actions that jeopardize the integrity and fairness of the electoral process in Guma, this actions constitute a threat to our security which is a matter of national importance, we urge your office to thoroughly investigate the activities of the Governor and take necessary actions to ensure a transparent , credible , free and fair elections in Guma 1 State Constituency.
We received credible report that early hours of yesterday Governor Hyacinth Iormen Alia had in an arrangement with Senator Gabriel Suswam and concluded plans to support the candidate of the PDP, Hon Jimin Geoffrey, ordinarily we wouldn’t be bothered because the Governor has right to support whoever he wants since he has declared war on the party that brought him to power and has refused to support her candidate, but our concern is the Governor’s approval of 100 million making it a sum of 120 million he has given to PDP for the elections, initially the Governor was supporting the candidate of labour party until early hours of yesterday, he settled for PDP due to the plea of his friend Senator Suswam.
The Governor in furtherance issued a directive to all his Commissioners and other appointees to go to Guma and do everything humanly possible to win for PDP, Your Excellency sir, we consider this as a direct attack on our lives, the Governor is not from here neither is any of his forest of appointees already carrying out the directive.
We have gathered that thugs have already been mobilized from Makurdi, Vandeikya, Kwande and other surrounding areas to unleash terror on us, and further desecrate our land, in fear for our lives and self defense we have asked our children male or female to put up strict resistance by carrying local arms and making sure whoever attempts to spill blood in our community will have his own blood spilled to the ground too, we are a little community already destroyed by herders/invaders we won’t survive another crisis and it’s why we are ready to fight for our lives, blood for blood.
While we would wish to remain committed to the principles of peace and justice, we must express the deep concern and frustration among the people in Guma, in the absence of swift and decisive action, there is a growing sentiment that compels us to state that we have advised our children to defend their rights with unwavering resolve, even if it means doing so with their last blood.
It is our sincere hope that your intervention will promote democracy, safeguard the rights of the citizens, and uphold the principles that our great nation stands for, we believe in the strength of our democratic institutions, and your leadership is crucial in preserving the sanctity of the electoral process.
We implore you, Mr. President, to intervene and take necessary steps to address the concerns raised by the citizens of Guma, your leadership is paramount in ensuring that our democracy continues to thrive and that the upcoming elections are conducted in a free, fair, and transparent manner.
Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter, i trust in your commitment to the welfare of our nation and its citizens.
- Elder Akam Gbaka – Mbawa Council Ward
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Converner - Elder Tyovenda Iormen – Mbawa Council Ward
- Hon. Nomor kuji – Uvir Council Ward
- Hon. Atsongu Kapa – Uvir Council Ward
- Hon. Mtswen Gbande – Mbadwen Ward
- Elder Ahine Akiki – Mbadwen Ward
- Chief Simon kuhe – Nyiev Ward
- Elder Shima Yuhaga – Nyiev Ward
- Elder James Kumaga – Mbayer Yandev Ward
- Chief Taryuhwa Gbaka – Mbayer Yandev Ward
- Chief Naayande Gwebe – Mbabai Ward
- Hon. Baikula Mbabov – Mbabai Ward
Cc
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF
The National Chairman All Progressives Congress, APC
The State Chairman All Progressives Congress, APC, Benue State
The Department of State Security Services, DSS
The Nigerian Army
The Nigerian Police Force, NPF