Governor of Benue State, Hyacinth Iormem Alia's tongue in cheek reaction to the Federal government’s plan to establish pilot ranches in Benue and some states in the country's middle belt continues to generate widespread condemnation with several groups andnindividuals calling on the governor to tell the truth about his complicity in the issue. In a press statement by Bright Yima Antyo, its publicity secretary dated August 16 2026 titled, 'RANCHES: Alia must stop evading the issu, tell Benue people where he stands', the Benue PDP said the party read with deep concern the statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Hyacinth Alia on the Federal Government’s proposed establishment of pilot ranches in Benue State, noting that, "Rather than provide the clarity Benue people have been demanding, the statement raises even more questions. It is long on praise for Governor Alia, vague assurances and appeals for patience, but conspicuously silent on the fundamental issues at stake." The PDP raised what it insisted is a fundamental question, "Has the Alia administration accepted the Federal Government’s proposal to establish pilot ranches in Benue State? Has the government committed any land to the programme? If yes, where is the land located, how large is it, and under what legal arrangement is it to be acquired?" The party also wanted answers to the following, "Are the proposed ranches privately owned commercial enterprises or government-created livestock settlements? Does the proposal involve the reopening, rehabilitation or conversion of any old grazing reserves in Benue State? What becomes of the existing legal framework regulating open grazing and ranching in the state? Who are the so-called 'relevant authorities' with whom Governor Alia is consulting, and why have farmers, traditional rulers, community leaders and the communities whose land may be affected not been publicly brought into the process? These are the questions the Governor’s statement carefully avoided," the party queried. The party described as particularly disturbing the fact that the governor asked Benue people not to "take the matter to the streets, churches, media or marketplaces” in what he describes as a rush to politicize the issue. It said, "This is unacceptable. Since when did discussing a matter affecting ancestral land, security and livelihoods in churches, markets, communities and the media become an offence? Those are precisely the places where citizens in a democracy discuss issues that affect their lives." The party asserted that "Benue people have every right to speak. They have every right to ask questions. They have every right to demand answers from a government elected to serve them. The Alia administration must understand that silence is not consultation, secrecy is not strategy, and vague assurances are not a substitute for accountability." Continuing, the statement noted, "This matter is far too serious for public relations language. For years, Benue communities have suffered killings, displacement and loss of ancestral land as a result of attacks on them by armed herders. Thousands of our people remain displaced from their homes and farms. Against this painful background, any proposal involving grazing reserves, livestock settlements or the allocation of land for ranching will naturally generate anxiety. "The fear among many Benue people is that what is being presented as a ranching programme could ultimately become a land grabbing scheme by another name. Whether that fear is justified or not, the responsibility of the Governor is to address it openly and unequivocally, not to tell worried Benue people to keep quiet while government “considers” the proposal behind closed doors. "If there is nothing to hide, then there should be nothing difficult about telling Benue people exactly what is being proposed." The PDP challenged Governor Alia to come out personally and state the position of his administration on the issue. "Is Benue State accepting or rejecting the Federal Government’s proposed ranching arrangement?" the statement queried, asserting that, "Benue people deserve a YES or NO, followed by the full details of whatever position the government has taken or is contemplating. They do not need another statement asking them to trust the Governor blindly." The party reiterated its position its support for modern livestock production based on privately owned ranches established through lawful acquisition of land between willing parties, as stipulated by the state’s Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law 2017. "What we reject is any attempt by government, whether federal or state, to seize, designate or allocate community or ancestral land for grazing reserves, livestock settlements or any arrangement capable of dispossessing Benue people of their heritage," Benue PDP asserted.

Posted: 2months ago

Author: Editor in Chief

Current date: 18 October 2026