The Benue State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has knocked the Benue State Governor, HE. Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia for expending budgets without signed appropriation acts.
The PDP’s condemnation is coming at the heels of the revolution by the immediate past Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Hon. Aondona Dajoh claiming that governor refused to ascent to 33 Bills passed by the House, Appropriation Bills inclusive.
Under extant laws, it’s illegal for the federal, state and local governments to expend funds outside of a signed budget.
A statement signed by Comr. Dan Nyikwagh, the State Secretary,
Benue State PDP indicated that Rt. Hon. Dajoh publicly disclosed that under his leadership, the Benue State House of Assembly passed an unprecedented 33 bills within a period of two years.
However, it “is both shocking and disturbing is the apparent fact that none of these bills, including the annual Appropriation Bills, received the assent of Governor Hyacinth Alia.”
“This development raises grave constitutional, legal, and governance concerns. If indeed the budgets passed by the House were never signed into law by the Governor, the Benue PDP is compelled to ask: under what legal framework has the government been expending public funds?” PDP queried.
“How has the administration justified its financial operations without duly enacted Appropriation Laws, as required by law?” PDP further asked.
According to the PDP the “refusal to assent to thirty-three bills painstakingly considered and passed by the people’s representatives amounts to a direct affront to democratic governance and the principle of separation of powers. It reflects a disturbing pattern of executive overreach and a deliberate undermining of the legislature as an independent arm of government.”
The Benue PDP further calls on Governor Hyacinth Alia and the leadership of the Benue State House of Assembly to immediately end the continuous assault on democratic institutions by lifting all politically motivated suspensions imposed on elected members of the House, including the immediate past Speaker, Rt. Hon. Aondona Dajoh.
The PDP categorically condemn this apparent disregard for legislative authority and constitutional governance adding that the people of Benue deserve a government that respects due process and places the public interest above personal or political calculations.
