How Tinubu passed a vote of no confidence on Benue Governor Alia
By Jude Adzege,
On June 18, 2025, President Bola Tinubu publicly expressed a vote of no confidence in Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State during an address to Benue stakeholders at the Government House, Makurdi. This came in the wake of a horrific attack in Yelewata, Guma LGA, where over 200 people—including women, children, internally displaced persons, and security personnel—were killed by suspected Fulani terrorists. The attack was coordinated and well-planned, with terrorists attacking from multiple fronts, burning homes and market stalls, and targeting Christian communities.
President Tinubu, while visiting the state and meeting victims, condemned the violence and assembled a committee including ex-governors and traditional rulers to restore peace. He urged support for Governor Alia but emphasized that the governor was elected to ensure peace and not to bury people. Tinubu assured the federal government’s backing and his personal resolve to end the bloodshed.
Governor Alia, despite the criticism, expressed gratitude for the President’s visit and support, pledging to work with stakeholders to rebuild and restore peace. He also appealed for a special intervention fund from the federal government to aid affected communities.
The situation has drawn widespread condemnation, with calls for urgent action to address the security collapse and ongoing violence in Benue State.
Governor Alia certainly did not see the President’s open assessment of his leadership style coming. Before President Tinubu mounted the podium, the governor was brimming with confidence; but all that vanished barely a few minutes into President Tinubu’s speech.
*On Salary Payment*
On the issue of salary payment, President Tinubu made it clear that no governor in the country under his administration is facing challenges in paying salaries and pensions because they have ample funds at their disposal since he removed fuel subsidy. No one needed to be reminded that no state in the country today is owing salaries, pensions, or gratuities. All other states have since cleared their arrears of salaries, pensions, and gratuities, except Benue. As President Tinubu mentioned that state governors have no reason during his tenure to borrow money to pay salaries, all eyes turned to Governor Alia, who has refused to clear the arrears of salaries and pensions. Expectedly, the governor lowered his head. He was exposed.
*On Alia’s Performance*
This was the point where President Tinubu lambasted Governor Alia even more harshly. Every single word the president said about the governor indicated that he has a vivid grasp of what is happening in Benue State under Alia. The president told the governor in plain terms to ask his counterparts in other states how they are performing very well, but his case in Benue State is different.
President Tinubu tasked Governor Alia:
“Provide the people with basic necessities, clean water, food, and access to healthcare. Why haven’t you engaged with leaders like Senator Akume and your counterparts from neighboring states who are making notable progress? Just recently, the governor of Plateau launched a public transport initiative. The governor of Imo is also making commendable progress. Go and consult with them, understand their strategies.”
The above remarks from President Tinubu were quite revealing. They clearly showed that even the presidency is aware of the growing concerns about Governor Alia’s underperformance.
On Peace and Security in Benue
Again, President Tinubu’s statements indicted Governor Alia and exposed his failure in handling the security situation in the state. The President said:
“The peace of your state is in your hands. Governor Alia, you were elected under the progressive banner to ensure peace, stability, and progress.”
Advising Governor Alia on the importance of stakeholder management for peaceful and progressive governance, the President urged the governor to set up a peace committee in the state that would include former governors of Benue, elders, traditional rulers, federal government officials, and non-indigenes living in the state.
“Let us meet again in Abuja. Let’s fashion out a framework for lasting peace. I am ready to invest in that peace. I assure you, we will find peace. We will convert this tragedy into prosperity,” the President said.
At that point, Governor Alia looked completely lost and confused. He was apparently wishing that the stakeholders’ meeting never took place. He was given a badge of zero performance and failure. No other governor in Nigeria’s current dispensation has failed the public test of performance as badly as Alia has.
Though the Tor Tiv, Prof. James Ayatse got some parts of his speech wrong, especially when he said some politicians were praying that the killings in Benue continue so that a state of emergency could be declared in the state, his speech also strongly corrected the wrong impression created by Governor Alia’s narrative that the security situation in the state was merely communal clashes, reprisals, and skirmishes.
Governor Alia indeed learned bitter lessons of leadership the hard way from the visit of the President.
The governor had earlier in the day received heavy bashing from Benue people for taking primary school pupils to the road under the rain to stand for hours and wait for the President.
