With just 24 hours remaining before the March 31 deadline, none of the Commissioners in the Benue State government have resigned, sources reveal, raising questions about compliance ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Checks over the weekend by Benue Info-pedia show that not a single Special Adviser or Senior Special Assistant to Governor Hyacinth Iormem Alia has stepped down, though some top aides are reportedly preparing to submit their resignation letters.
Governor Alia had directed all political appointees intending to contest elective offices to resign their positions by Tuesday, warning that failure to do so could bar them from participating in the upcoming elections.
In a statement released through the Secretary to the Government, the Governor cited Section 88(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) timetable for party primaries as the basis for the directive.
The directive affects a wide range of officials, including Honourable Commissioners, Special Advisers, Senior Special Assistants, Special Assistants, Personal Assistants, Directors-General, CEOs of state parastatals, and other political appointees.
All affected officials are required to formally submit their resignation letters through the SG’s office by March 31, 2026, or risk losing the chance to contest in the 2027 elections.
As the deadline approaches, political observers are watching closely to see how many of Governor Alia’s appointees will heed the directive and throw their hats into the ring for various elective positions in the next general polls. The development has sparked intense political calculations within the state’s ruling circles.
