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Thousands of party supporters from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and other political parties in Benue State have defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
This took place in Sankera, Kwande and Ushongo local government areas on Wednesday during the commencement of Governor Hyacinth Alia’s state-wide thank-you tour.
Speaking during the events held at Katsina-Ala township stadium and LGEA primary school Kwande town, respectively, Governor Alia thanked the people for the overwhelming support given to him during the last elections.
He reiterated his administration’s determination to return all the internally displaced persons, or IDPs, affected by armed herdsmen attacks back to their ancestral homes to continue normal farming activities.
Governor Alia expressed concern that the Sankera axis, which is the hub for yam production in the country, was greatly hit by attacks perpetrated by armed bandits.
He maintained that the issue of security is not the responsibility of government alone and enjoined all and sundry to join hands with him in the onerous task of ridding the state of attacks.
Governor Alia urged the people to form cooperative societies through which they would receive farm inputs and other benefits from his administration to develop themselves to be self-reliant.
He discountenanced widespread reports that he had borrowed huge sums of money from foreign financial institutions to execute infrastructural projects in the state.
Governor Alia announced the award of a contract for the construction of the Sankera-Chito-Vaase Road to help check the worsening insecurity situation bedevilling the area.
He said he had contacted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to assist the state in constructing more road networks in Sankera and he graciously approved the construction of the Katsina-Ala Head Bridge-Hausa Quarters/Victory Bible Church Wukari Junction and the Zaki Biam Yam Market-Iwar Ior-Y-Junction roads.
He urged the people to be patient with the president, as he meant well for the state in the area of development projects.
