Benue LG election postponed as Alia extends tenure of caretaker chairmen

he Benue State House of Assembly has approved a six-month tenure extension for the caretaker chairmen of the 23 local government councils in the state. This decision came after Governor Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia sent a letter to the House, which was read aloud by Speaker Rt. Hon. Hyacinth Dajoh during plenary.

The letter stated that the current caretaker chairmen’s tenure is set to expire on June 5, 2024, and the extension will give the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC) sufficient time to prepare and conduct local government council elections.

It’s worth noting that since Governor Alia’s administration began, there has been no democratic structure in place at the local government level, following the suspension of democratically elected council chairmen from the previous Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government. While some chairmen have had their tenures extended, others have been replaced.

The nominated interim caretaker chairmen have been directed to submit their curriculum vitae to the Assembly for screening and confirmation by Thursday.