GOV ALIA KILLED THE GBOKO COUNCILOR JOOJI

By Jacob Tsetim 

Hon. John Jooji was until his untimely death a democratically elected councilor representing Igyorov Ward of Gboko Local Government Area, Benue State. Jooji died yesterday in a ghastly motor accident on his way back to Gboko from Makurdi, after a frustrated struggle to get his legitimate earnings from the Governor Hyacinth Alia led administration.

Hon. Jooji and his colleagues from Gboko and the 22 other local government areas of Benue State were democratically elected, but Governor Alia came and sacked them illegally and has refused to pay their earnings. Even their May salaries that they worked for were released to the Alia government, but immediately he assumed office as governor, he suspended them unlawfully towards the end of June because they were not members of his party, APC. He did the same thing to council chairmen. 

The councilors peacefully went to redress in court. They got the judgement because this was Alia’s action was an act of dictatorship and a threat to democracy.

Governor Alia frustrated the rule of law, he vehemently disobeyed and stood against court orders to restore the councillor and the chairmen.

So yesterday 12th October, 2023, the councilors felt that they had seen enough humiliation and suffering in the hands of Governor Alia and decided to go to Makurdi and stage a protest. They held a peaceful protest with permission from the Nigerian Police, but in his cruelty, Governor Alia ordered trucks and a battalion of soldiers to threaten and frustrate the peaceful protest.

Hon. John Jooji and others on their way back from the frustrated struggle, had a ghastly accident and he died on the spot. 

Never in the history of democracy have an elected official been denied salaries with impunity, harassment and intimidation because they are from the opposition party like we have seen in Benue state under Governor Alia. 

These councilors are human beings too with families like any of us. Alia should have considered the plight of these men and women like fellow human beings. In the face of this biting economy, they have families to feed, they have school fees to pay. Most of them could not farm this year because all their plans were frustrated. 

Hon. Jooji died on the road with an empty stomach. But he had plans this year like Alia and any of us. Now, what happens to Jooji’s poor family? How will Alia face Jooji’s traumatic wife and children? Politics should not make people forget that we are first and foremost human beings under the same God. 
When death comes knocking, it does not ask for our political party membership cards. Today it is Hon. Jooji, tomorrow, it can be someone else. 

This is definitely not what Benue people bargained for when they voted for a priest of God to serve them.

May God touch the heart of Governor Alia to put off heartlessness and cruelty and begin to live up to expectations of Benue people. So far, what we have seen is total failure.