By Dennis Agema
The other day, I saw some supporters of Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia posting pictures of one Goldman and others with the former Speaker of the State House of Assembly and 2023 governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Rt. Hon. Titus Uba, claiming that Governor Alia was responsible for Uba’s medical bills, etc. One David Fiase even went further to say that Alia’s name is written in gold for his “generosity” towards Uba, as if it is the first time in the history of the state that a sitting governor has assisted anyone in accessing medical care.
Before that show of shame by Goldman and Fiase, I saw Senator Gabriel Suswam also in photos with Uba for the same reason. The same Suswam, who worked strongly against Uba’s becoming governor from start to finish in 2023, is today pretending to love Uba more than anyone else. These people have no shame!
The question that came to my mind after watching those outings on social media was: what is so special about a sitting governor paying the bills of a former Speaker of the State House of Assembly? Is that not how it is supposed to be? Or is it because Alia is a very stingy man that whenever he does a rare thing, it becomes a headline issue?
It is on record that when George Akume was governor, Prof. Mvendaga Jibo was not in the same political party with him, but when Jibo fell sick, Akume sent him to Germany, and he received the best treatment. Jibo is alive today. Governor Akume provided similar assistance to many other people in need.
When Suswam was governor, he also assisted several individuals in getting medical treatment, home and abroad. Governor Moses Adasu also assisted people in receiving medical care. Governor Aper Aku did the same.
When Samuel Ortom was governor in his first term, he was in APC while Paul Biam, who is Alia’s Chief of Staff today, was in PDP. When Biam fell sick, Governor Ortom sent him to India and paid all expenses. Paul Biam is alive today. He did same to many other individuals.
What is the big deal about a former Speaker, the once number three man in the state, receiving medical treatment sponsored by a sitting governor? Is it not the responsibility of the government to treat such a high-profile individual?
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If any of the past leaders of the state is sick, is it not the responsibility of the government to treat them? Is Alia using his personal money, which he made from his healing ministry, to treat Uba? Is it not money taken from the huge monthly allocations to the state from the federal government?
Or is it because the present government in the state lacks achievements to showcase and is now holding onto every single trivial thing to look good?
By the way, is it today that Governor Alia has realized that Titus Uba is sick? From the day Uba’s medical condition was made public to the long time he was in the hospital, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who is now the governor, Hyacinth Alia, did not deem it necessary to make a simple phone call to his opponent, as the Bible has taught us to do. Do not forget that Uba and Alia are from the same Kyan Constituency of Vandeikya Local Government, Benue State.
To the disbelief of everyone, Alia’s campaign team initiated a callous rumor that Uba had died in the German hospital. The rumor spread across Benue State like wildfire. The Alia camp did everything to tarnish the reputation of Uba. They called him many unfortunate names, all in a bid to make him look bad in the eyes of Benue voters.
At that time, Alia was busy dancing the Fulani dance known as Sharo at every campaign ground, believing that the election was game over for his PDP opponent. He did not care to make a call or send a get-well message to his Vandeikya brother, who was still in severe pain in the hospital.
Uba eventually recovered and returned to Benue State, but Alia did not bother to visit him, even for a brief moment, before or after the election. How cruel and heartless can some people be!
Where was Alia when Uba nearly died of a stroke? Why did he wait until now so he can make political capital out of the man’s health condition?
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Lastly, Governor Alia needs to be reminded that there is a provision in the state budget and even under the governor’s security vote to render assistance to those whose cases are beyond their financial resources. The Governor should stop making it look as if he is doing anyone a personal undeserved favour by supporting them to access medical care.
