Join our WhatsApp channel HERE for the latest Benue news and updates!
In a swift and emphatic response, prominent sons and daughters of the Mbatiav community in Benue State have publicly disowned a poorly attended press conference staged a few days ago by a handful of individuals who paraded themselves as representatives of the area while launching scathing attacks on Governor Hyacinth Alia.
The affected Mbatiav indigenes, whose names were allegedly inserted into the attendance register without their knowledge or consent, have described the entire event as a fraudulent and desperate attempt to mislead the public and create division where none exists.
Speaking through various platforms, the concerned Mbatiav elites condemned the use of their names in what they termed “a sponsored hatchet job.” They insisted that the so-called press conference does not reflect the position of the Mbatiav people, who remain solidly behind the Alia administration.
“We were shocked to see our names listed as participants in an event we knew nothing about and did not attend,” one of the affected persons said. “This is pure deception. Our people are peaceful and fully in support of His Excellency Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Alia. We completely dissociate ourselves from that gathering and its message.”
Reports indicate that the controversial briefing attracted only a sparse crowd, with organizers allegedly resorting to padding the attendance sheet with names of respected Mbatiav personalities in order to give the event a false sense of legitimacy.
The Mbatiav disavowal is the latest in a series of pushbacks against isolated voices attempting to criticize the governor in the name of larger ethnic or communal blocs. Similar rebuttals have emerged in recent weeks from other zones, suggesting a growing pattern of hired individuals masquerading as community spokespersons.
Political watchers say the failed attempt may have backfired spectacularly, further exposing the orchestrators while strengthening the governor’s image as a leader enjoying widespread grassroots goodwill.
For now, the Mbatiav community has sent a clear message: Governor Alia remains their choice, and anyone speaking against him in their name does so at the risk of immediate public denunciation. The people have spoken; the impersonators have been called out.
