{"id":122353,"date":"2025-09-18T19:48:21","date_gmt":"2025-09-18T18:48:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/?p=122353"},"modified":"2025-09-18T19:48:21","modified_gmt":"2025-09-18T18:48:21","slug":"benue-group-dismisses-n345-3bn-fraud-allegation-against-gov-alia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/benue-group-dismisses-n345-3bn-fraud-allegation-against-gov-alia\/","title":{"rendered":"Benue: Group Dismisses N345.3bn Fraud Allegation Against Gov Alia"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By Tracy Moses<\/div>\n
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The Yongo-Tiev Community Development Association (YTCDA), a socio-cultural group in Benue State, has faulted the allegation of N345.3 billion fraud leveled against Governor Hyacinth Alia by Joseph Waya, a 2023 governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), describing it as unfounded and misleading.<\/div>\n
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The association, while distancing itself from Waya, its kinsman, insisted that the accusations were \u201cillogical fabrications\u201d intended to malign the governor\u2019s reputation.<\/div>\n
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In a petition dated September 1, 2025, and addressed to Pope Leo XIV through the Apostolic Nunciature in Abuja, Waya accused Governor Alia of corruption, poor performance, and allegedly dragging the Catholic Church into disrepute. He also claimed the governor spent over N345.3 billion on questionable contracts without the approval of the State Executive Council (SEC).<\/div>\n
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But addressing a press conference in Makurdi, YTCDA President, Ankulugh Jita, explained that available financial records of the state government made nonsense of Waya\u2019s allegations.<\/div>\n
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Speaking on his behalf, Dr. Kpough Tule, former Deputy Director of Currency at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and current Chairman of Novus Microfinance Bank, presented figures contradicting Waya\u2019s claims.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
According to Tule, between May and December 2023, Benue received N87.039 billion from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC). In 2024, the state received N135.67 billion alongside N26 billion in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). For 2025, projections put FAAC receipts at N142.45 billion and IGR at N28.6 billion.<\/div>\n
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He explained that the combined receipts from May 2023 to December 2025 amounted to about N419.759 billion. \u201cIf Mr. Waya insists that Governor Alia mismanaged N345 billion, one wonders where he got his figures from. The numbers simply don\u2019t tally,\u201d Tule noted.<\/div>\n
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Describing the petition as \u201ca distraction,\u201d he said: \u201cBenue people chose a priest-governor because of his integrity and character. Halfway into his tenure, Alia is making visible progress. Waya\u2019s petition has no merit and should be dismissed for what it is\u2014frivolous and politically motivated.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Tule further argued that the petition was built on \u201cfalsehoods and personal grievances\u201d while ignoring the state\u2019s ongoing financial reforms, infrastructure projects, and Alia\u2019s upright record within the Catholic Church.<\/div>\n
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\u201cThe document provides no evidence of corruption. It is merely a political tool aimed at misleading the Vatican and denting the image of a governor who has dedicated himself to serving the people,\u201d he stressed.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
The group also criticized Waya for neglecting his own Mbayongo-Tiev community, which they said remains without schools, hospitals, boreholes, roads, electricity, or communication facilities despite his wealth.<\/div>\n
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They recalled that only recently Governor Alia visited Mbayongo-Tiev during a burial ceremony, where he observed the community\u2019s neglect and promised to construct major roads and deliver infrastructure. According to the group, this commitment may have unsettled Waya, prompting his attack.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u201cThe people of Mbayongo-Tiev regard this petition as an assault not just on Governor Alia but on the entire community,\u201d Tule declared. \u201cWe categorically dissociate ourselves from Mr. Waya\u2019s actions. His grievances are personal and do not reflect the views of our people.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Tracy Moses The Yongo-Tiev Community Development Association (YTCDA), a socio-cultural group in Benue State, has faulted the allegation of N345.3 billion fraud leveled against Governor Hyacinth Alia by Joseph…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":112761,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-122353","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\nBenue: Group Dismisses N345.3bn Fraud Allegation Against Gov Alia - Pointblank News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/benue-group-dismisses-n345-3bn-fraud-allegation-against-gov-alia\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Benue: Group Dismisses N345.3bn Fraud Allegation Against Gov Alia - 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