Alia Denies Claims as Dajoh Accuses Governor of Political Retaliation and Misuse of Funds

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

Dajoh made the allegation on Saturday during events marking his 50th birthday celebration at Akpagher Mbatiav in Gboko Local Government Area.
Addressing political associates, traditional rulers, family members, and supporters at the gathering, 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.
According to him, the governor communicated the proposal through an official letter, which he said he immediately 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 offenses,” Dajoh stated.
He further alleged that members of the governor’s inner circle warned him that his tenure as Speaker would not survive his refusal to support 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 claimed.
Dajoh also accused Governor Alia of using public funds in an unsuccessful effort to remove the Chief Judge of Benue State, Justice Maurice Ikpambese.
The former Speaker alleged that more than N200 million was spent in the process.
He also referenced a statement allegedly made by Alia during a political event in Jemgbagh ahead of the 2023 elections, where the governor reportedly said anyone who oppressed the people of the area would be afflicted with madness.
Dajoh argued that the governor had acted against the interests of the Jemgbagh people through a number of political decisions.
“It was on this soil that Alia stood and said anybody who beats the Jemgbagh people will be inflicted with madness. But Alia has beaten Tor Jemgbagh, Ter Gboko, taken the Jemgbagh Speaker to another zone, beaten their sons, so he has been inflicted with madness,” he said.
Reacting to the allegations, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Alia, Tersoo Kula, dismissed the claims as false, fabricated, and baseless, describing them as “Aondona Dajoh’s cocktail of conspiracy theories and unfounded accusations against Governor Alia.”
Kula said the former Speaker’s remarks were filled with “conspiracy theories, unfounded accusations, outright falsehoods and reckless claims.”
According to him, the allegations were misleading and raised serious questions about Dajoh’s understanding of the constitutional responsibilities and limits of the Benue State House of Assembly.
He specifically denied the claim that Governor Alia sent a letter directing the relocation of the Tor Tiv Palace from Gboko to Ihugh.
Kula described the allegation as entirely false, imaginary, and without foundation.
“We demand to know why such a correspondence from the Executive was not read on the floor of the House as procedure demands. Benue State House of Assembly was not Dajoh’s private establishment. Any such letter sent to the Assembly from the Executive cannot be turned down by the fiat of a Speaker.
“So, we challenge Dajoh to make public the letter he alleged the Governor sent to him to relocate the Tor Tiv Palace to Ihugh,” Kula stated.
He also questioned how such a request could have been made, noting that the Benue State House of Assembly lacks the constitutional authority to relocate the headquarters of a traditional institution such as the Tor Tiv Palace.
Addressing Dajoh’s allegation that N200 million was provided to facilitate the removal of the Chief Judge, Kula challenged him to explain what happened to the money and identify those who allegedly benefited from it.
On the issue of the Wurukum–Renewed Hope Estate–Angbaaye village road project, Kula maintained that Governor Alia had conducted government affairs transparently.
He explained that the road, which stretches from Wurukum through Renewed Hope Estate to Angbaaye village near Abinsi, is a federal highway requiring construction standards approved by the Federal Ministry of Works and Transport.
According to him, the governor obtained approval from the Federal Government to reconstruct the road in the interest of Benue residents.
Kula added that the project has been expanded from a single-lane road to a dual carriageway up to Angbaaye and covers more than 40 kilometres, including the construction of a five-span bridge across River Mu.
He urged members of the public to disregard the allegations, insisting they were fabricated attempts to tarnish the governor’s image.