Party Demands Disclosure of Proposed Ranch Locations, Land Size, Ownership and Federal-State Agreement
By Yahaya Idris, Makurdi
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State has challenged Governor Hyacinth Alia to clearly state his administration’s position on the Federal Government’s proposed establishment of pilot ranches in the state, accusing the governor of avoiding critical questions surrounding land, security and the livelihoods of Benue residents.
The party made the demand in a statement signed by its State Publicity Secretary, Bright Yima Antyo, on Sunday, August 16, 2026, following a statement issued by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary on the proposed ranching programme.
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The PDP said the government’s response had failed to provide the clarity being demanded by Benue people, arguing that it was “long on praise for Governor Alia, vague assurances and appeals for patience,” but silent on the fundamental issues surrounding the proposed ranches.
PDP: Benue People Deserve Clear Answers
The opposition party questioned whether the Alia administration had accepted the Federal Government’s proposal and whether the state government had committed any land to the programme.
It also demanded details on the location and size of any proposed ranches, the legal arrangement for acquiring the land, and whether the facilities would be privately owned commercial ranches or government-created livestock settlements.
The PDP further asked whether the proposal involved the reopening, rehabilitation or conversion of any old grazing reserves in the state.
It also sought clarification on the relationship between the proposed ranches and Benue’s existing legal framework regulating open grazing and ranching.
According to the party, the government should identify the “relevant authorities” with whom Governor Alia is consulting and explain why farmers, traditional rulers, community leaders and potentially affected communities had not been publicly involved in the process.
“These are the questions the Governor’s statement carefully avoided,” the PDP said.
Party Rejects Appeal for Citizens to Remain Silent
The PDP also criticised the government’s appeal to Benue residents not to take the ranching issue to “the streets, churches, media or marketplaces,” describing the position as unacceptable in a democracy.
The party argued that citizens have the right to discuss issues concerning their ancestral land, security and livelihoods in communities, churches, markets and the media.
“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 statement said.
The PDP maintained that “silence is not consultation, secrecy is not strategy, and vague assurances are not a substitute for accountability.”
Land, Security Fears Behind Ranching Debate
The opposition party linked the controversy to years of attacks on farming communities in Benue, saying many residents had suffered killings, displacement and loss of ancestral land in attacks attributed to armed herders.
It said thousands of residents remained displaced from their homes and farms, adding that any proposal involving grazing reserves, livestock settlements or allocation of land for ranching would naturally generate concerns among communities.
The PDP said some Benue residents feared that a ranching programme could eventually become a “land grabbing scheme by another name.”
It argued that whether or not such fears were justified, the responsibility of the state government was to address them openly rather than ask citizens to trust a process being considered behind closed doors.
“Accept or Reject Federal Ranching Proposal”
The party therefore challenged Governor Alia to personally state whether Benue State was accepting or rejecting the Federal Government’s proposed ranching arrangement.
“Benue people deserve a YES or NO, followed by the full details of whatever position the government has taken or is contemplating,” the PDP said.
The party reiterated its support for modern livestock production based on privately owned ranches established through lawful acquisition of land between willing parties, in accordance with the state’s Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law 2017.
However, it rejected what it described as any attempt by either the Federal or State Government 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.
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PDP Demands Disclosure of Ranching Documents
The PDP called on the Alia administration to immediately make public all correspondence, proposals, memoranda and understandings between the state government and the Federal Government concerning the proposed pilot ranches.
It specifically demanded disclosure of:
The proposed locations and sizes of the ranches;
How the land would be obtained;
Ownership and management structures;
Beneficiaries of the programme;
Roles of the Federal and State Governments;
The legal framework governing the project; and
Safeguards for host communities and farmers.
“There can be no credible consultation about Benue land that excludes the Benue people,” the party declared.
The PDP warned against negotiating decisions concerning community land behind closed doors and subsequently presenting them to residents as a fait accompli.
“Benue belongs to the Benue people. No government has the moral right to bargain away their land without their knowledge and consent,” the statement concluded.