By Nelson Azenda
Reports coming in from Kaduna State indicate that the suspended and desperate man called Hyacinth Alia who is the rejected governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Benue State has held two major meetings with members of Miyetti Allah groups to pledge his loyalty to their demands that in the event he becomes governor, he should give them free access to lands in the state.
The Kaduna meetings attracted Miyetti Allah members from other states and even some neighboring West African countries.
The latest meetings are coming after the suspended priest had met with Kaduna state Governor and that of Katsina who are his major sponsors on behalf of the Fulanis. The Kaduna State Governor and other strong proponents of Sharia and Emirate system have identified Alia as the one who can help to actualize the age long agenda of the Fulani to take over Benue State which their ancestor Usman Dan Fodio started. They are dangling carrots in Alia’s face in the form of billions of naira and he is in a frenzy to grab the money. As far as he is concerned, Benue can go to blazes.
Our sources in Kaduna said the troubled priest was earlier in the state to solicit the financial support of Governor Nasir El-Rufai and other money bags to enable him fund his 2023 campaign. El-Rufai was quick to agree to sponsor the campaign of Alia if he accepted the terms and conditions he would be given. The desperate priest nodded in acceptance that he would comply with all the terms and conditions.
His latest meeting with Miyetti Allah groups was to finalize the agreement and go into specifics about which part of Benue State that Fulanis will occupy in the first quarter. Guma, Makurdi, Gwer West, Logo, Gwer East and Kwande are the local government areas the Fulani negotiators first demanded. In all of this, the Miyetti Allah groups are asking for nothing less than large portions of land in at least 20 local government areas of Benue State.
Alia agreed to meet all their demands including the condition that in the first two months after May 29, 2023, the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law will be abolished and a new law will be enacted to grant free access to Fulanis.
Alia’s shocking deal with Fulanis has disappointed even some of his close supporters who genuinely love the state. Those who spoke on the condition of anonymity said they were appalled by the desperation of their candidate to acquire power at all costs.
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In the early part of next week, Alia will meet with the National Chairman of APC, Governor El-Rufai, Gov Masari of Katsina and other Fulani elites to consummate the pact and give more money to him as he is ready to trade off his state for crumbs under the dinner table of Fulani oligarchs.
What the arrogant former priest does not know is that Benue voters do not want to hear that any of the candidates has a deal with Fulani which will sack them from their ancestral lands. Alia is in for the shock of his life!
* Azenda writes from Kachia, Kaduna State.
