Anambra people are hungry, go and feed them, Benue doesn’t need your charity- Alia’s aide warns Peter Obi

Solomon Semaka, the Principal Special Assistant to the Governor of Benue State on National Programs, Civil Society, Voter Education, and Strategic Interventions, has accused Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, of attempting to exploit Benue State for political advantage.

In a statement issued on Monday, Semaka criticized Obi’s planned visit to Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in the state, dismissing it as a “political charity.” He suggested that Obi was masking political ambitions as humanitarian concerns, accusing the former governor of Anambra State of using the suffering of vulnerable Nigerians to further his political survival.

“Mr. Peter Obi cannot ambush Benue State with charity. Even the United Nations doesn’t operate with this kind of charity model. What he planned was nothing more than a political maneuver dressed up as humanitarian work. The people of Benue are wiser now,” Semaka stated.

His comments come amid the recent directive from Governor Hyacinth Alia, which banned unauthorized visits to the state by high-profile individuals due to security concerns. The governor emphasized that such measures were necessary to manage movements and protect the fragile security situation in the state.

Obi had expressed frustration over his inability to reach Governor Alia ahead of his planned visit to the IDP camps, a situation that Semaka dismissed as “bad charity etiquette” and an intentional attempt to force entry into the state without proper coordination.

Semaka reaffirmed the state’s commitment to its partnership with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, stressing that Governor Alia would not allow political distractions to disrupt ongoing governance efforts.

“Benue State is now in the hands of a bold, courageous, and fearless leader who will not be swayed by cheap political antics,” he added.