HOW GOV ALIA BRIBED UMAHI TO PRAISE-SING HIM
…Benue gov has not commissioned a project in over 2 years
By Moses Kwaghgba
It is disgusting how a man of Minister David Umahi’s status would turn to a clown, sycophant, and praise-singer for a sitting governor, a position he previously held. That was the act of shame that the Works Minister Umahi put on display a few days ago when he flagged off the construction of a flyover at the Wurukum Roundabout in Makurdi, the capital of Benue State. The flyover is a major component of the second phase of the Makurdi–9th Mile Road dualization project by the Federal Government.
Abandoning the task that actually brought him to Makurdi, Umahi assumed the role of court jester, describing the Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, as a “highly performing governor.” Many people who were at the ceremony were shocked. Some were asking if indeed Umahi was referring to the same Alia who is the governor of Benue State or the governor of another state.
Minister Umahi framed the Wurukum flyover as “a personal gift to Governor Alia from President Bola Tinubu.” How is that possible in due process and fiscal responsibility? Does the president have gifts under the law to give to state governors?
President Tinubu has traveled to many states to commission projects executed by state governors; Umahi himself has traveled to other states and commissioned projects done by governors of those states; yet, he said in Makurdi where Alia had no project for commissioning that he was seeing projects done by a state governor for the first time. What a shame!
But what do you expect from a man who built a five-star hotel in Port Harcourt, Rivers State and a three-star hotel his home state Ebonyi while serving as governor? Alia only relates with people of his kind. He has already acquired luxurious properties across the country and beyond. Umahi is obviously his mentor.
Investigation has revealed that Minister Dave Umahi was only dancing to the heavy inducement of N1.5 billion that Governor Alia had earlier given to him to win accolades from him so that Benue people would accept his lie that he (Alia) is the one doing the Wurukum flyover.
Umahi made so much money as Ebonyi governor and is making more money now as Minister of Works with phantom and highly inflated contracts. It is sad that he has moved to the stage of praising state governors as performers to give him more money. What does he want to do with such wealth?
Alia loves praises more than even the devil himself. He can go to any extent to get commendation from every prominent person.
Governor Alia and Umahi have so many things in common. These include stinking corruption, lack of transparency in governance. As governor of Ebonyi State, Umahi led a government that prioritized the harassment and intimidation of political opponents in the state. This is the same thing that Alia is doing in Benue State.
Umahi was deeply involved in corruption and mismanagement of resources of his state. There was zero transparency in contract awards for the multi-billion naira projects which were highly inflated. He was accused of siphoning or misallocation of state resources, especially around flagship projects and procurement processes. The same thing is happening in Benue State under Alia.
Umahi’s governance style faced scrutiny over how resources and appointments were distributed among different zones of the state. In Benue State, Alia has similarly taken all key appointments to his Mbadede side of Vandeikya.
Now you know why they say, show me your friend and I will tell you who you are. Umahi and Alia are beds of the same feather.
