Gov Alia plotted my removal because I refused to relocate palace to his hometown – Ex-Benue speaker

Former Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Hyacinth Aondona Dajoh, has alleged that Governor Hyacinth Alia orchestrated his removal from office after he refused to support a plan to relocate the palace of the Tor Tiv from Gboko, the traditional headquarters of the Tiv nation, to the governor’s hometown of Ihugh in Vandeikya […]

Former Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Hyacinth Aondona Dajoh, has alleged that Governor Hyacinth Alia orchestrated his removal from office after he refused to support a plan to relocate the palace of the Tor Tiv from Gboko, the traditional headquarters of the Tiv nation, to the governor’s hometown of Ihugh in Vandeikya Local Government Area.

Dajoh made the allegation during activities marking his 50th birthday celebration at Akpagher Mbatiav in Gboko Local Government Area.

Addressing political associates, traditional leaders, family members and supporters, the former Speaker said his opposition to the proposed relocation of the revered Tor Tiv Palace angered Governor Alia and ultimately led to his removal from office.

He alleged that the governor conveyed the proposal through an official communication, which he rejected.

“Governor Alia sent a letter to me directing that I should relocate the Tor Tiv Palace from Gboko to his community, Ihugh. I rejected the idea. I told him that he wanted to kill me. This was one of my biggest offences,” Dajoh alleged.

He further claimed that influential figures within the governor’s inner circle warned him that his position as Speaker would be at risk if he opposed the proposal.

“When I rejected the idea of moving the Tor Tiv Palace to the governor’s hometown, Moses Ternenge, one of the two most powerful men around Governor Alia, told me that if I rejected the proposal, I should consider that as the end of my speakership,” he alleged.

The former Speaker also accused the governor of deploying public resources in an unsuccessful attempt to remove the Chief Judge of Benue State, Justice Maurice Ikpambese, alleging that more than N200 million was spent in the process.

Dajoh further criticised the governor over what he described as actions contrary to the interests of the Jemgbagh people, recalling a statement allegedly made by Alia during a pre-election political gathering in Jemgbagh in 2023.

“It was on this soil that Alia stood and said anybody who oppresses the Jemgbagh people will be inflicted with madness. But Alia has oppressed Tor Jemgbagh, Ter Gboko, taken the Jemgbagh Speaker to another zone and oppressed their sons, so he has been inflicted with madness,” Dajoh said.

Reacting, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Tersoo Kula, dismissed the allegations as false, baseless and misleading.

Kula described Dajoh’s claims as “a cocktail of conspiracy theories, unfounded accusations, outright falsehoods and reckless claims,” insisting that no such letter requesting the relocation of the Tor Tiv Palace was ever sent by the governor.

He challenged the former Speaker to make public the alleged correspondence, arguing that any official communication from the Executive to the House of Assembly would have been subjected to legislative procedures.

“The claim that Governor Hyacinth Alia wrote to him as Speaker asking him to relocate the Palace of the Tor Tiv from Gboko to Ihugh is entirely false, baseless and imaginary,” Kula said.

The governor’s spokesman also argued that the Benue State House of Assembly lacked the constitutional authority to relocate the headquarters of a traditional institution such as the Tor Tiv Palace.

On Dajoh’s allegation that N200 million was used in an attempt to remove the Chief Judge, Kula challenged the former Speaker to provide details of the alleged transaction and identify its beneficiaries.

“The people of Benue deserve facts, not fiction; evidence, not emotions; and accountability, not political theatre,” he stated.

Kula further defended the state government’s handling of the Wurukum–Renewed Hope Estate road project, saying the contract involved the reconstruction of a federal highway approved by the Federal Government and included a dual carriageway and a five-span bridge across River Mu.

He maintained that Governor Alia had remained transparent in his dealings and urged Dajoh to reflect on the circumstances surrounding his exit from office rather than engage in what he described as political grandstanding.

Recall that Dajoh resigned his position as Speaker on August 24, 2025.

Our correspondent reports that the development occurred barely two days after the Assembly suspended four lawmakers for three months over what colleagues described as a plot to plunge the chamber into chaos.

In a handwritten resignation letter signed by him, Dajoh did not state any reason for his decision, saying only that it was made in good faith and in the interest of the state.

“I write to resign my position as the Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly effective today, 24 August, 2025.

“This is done in good faith and in the interest of the state. I pledge to remain committed to my duties as a legislator and representative of Gboko West State Constituency,” the letter read in part.

The letter was presented and accepted the same day during an emergency sitting of the House on Sunday evening, at which Alfred Aondoaver Emberga, representing Makurdi North State Constituency, emerged as the new Speaker.