Onjeh’s Defence of Gov Alia Fails to Answer Sen Moro’s Core Concern
ONJEH’S DEFENCE OF GOV ALIA FAILS TO ANSWER SEN MORO’S CORE CONCERN
Reactions have trailed Comrade Daniel Onjeh’s response to Senator Abba Moro, with many insisting that his statement does not address the real issues confronting Benue South.
Onjeh had dismissed Senator Moro’s comment as malicious, pointing to appointments of Benue South indigenes into key ministries and the payment of arrears as proof of inclusion under Governor Hyacinth Alia.
However, those familiar with the situation say the argument falls short of the central concern raised by Senator Moro, which focused on visible government presence in communities. According to them, naming sons and daughters of Benue South into ministries does not automatically translate into completed projects that residents can see or benefit from.
They also note that Onjeh’s emphasis on the payment of salaries, gratuities and pensions is outdated when set against current national realities. With huge monthly allocations now going to states due to improved federal revenue, the payment of salaries and pensions is a basic responsibility, not a development achievement.
They stressed that several States are currently executing massive infrastructure projects from similar allocations, raising questions about what is physically happening in Benue South beyond routine payments.
Critics further say Onjeh’s reliance on private phone conversations with the governor does not answer the core question of visible outcomes. Senator Moro had spoken about what people in Apa, Agatu, Ogbadibo, Obi and Oju experience daily, not internal discussions among political figures.
Onjeh’s media posture has also been linked to what many describe as his established pattern of aggressive online defence for political gain. His consistent silence over the challenges facing Benue South has been viewed in some quarters as a betrayal of the same people he seeks to represent, especially as he continues to pursue personal political ambitions without raising concerns publicly over the predicament of the people Zone C in present day Benue State.
They argue that while Onjeh assures the public that the governor “cares,” residents continue to wait for concrete physical evidence of development from the State Government in Benue South. Even the killing of people by Fulani marauders has never attracted the empathy of Dan onje’s ‘caring’ Gov Alia. Routine assurances, they maintain, do not substitute for projects that can be pointed to on ground.
The overall position remains that Onjeh’s response, though forceful, does little to counter Senator Moro’s main argument that Benue South deserves visible and verifiable state-backed development, not just political appointments and repeated claims of inclusion.
