Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, has dismissed recent protests in Abuja by a coalition of lawyers as politically motivated efforts to destabilize his administration, declaring that such actions will not distract him from delivering good governance.

The Governor’s reaction followed a protest on Tuesday by the “Save Benue and Zamfara” coalition, a group of legal professionals who petitioned the National Assembly to invoke Section 11(4) of the Nigerian Constitution.

The section empowers the federal parliament to assume legislative functions of a state assembly if it is deemed incapable of performing its constitutional duties.

The group alleged that internal crises and executive interference have rendered the Benue and Zamfara State Houses of Assembly ineffective.

Specifically in Benue, the coalition cited the suspension of 13 lawmakers who reportedly defied Governor Alia’s directive to suspend the Chief Judge of the State.

Addressing the issue through his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, at a press briefing in Makurdi, Governor Alia described the protests as orchestrated attempts by “disgruntled elements” to portray Benue State in crisis and pressure President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to declare a state of emergency.

“These demonstrations are not organic expressions of public sentiment, but rather, calculated attempts to settle personal scores and advance a malicious agenda,” Alia stated.

“Their goal is to create an environment of chaos and instability, hoping to exploit it for selfish political gains.”

The governor accused the protest organizers of misrepresenting themselves as legal professionals, warning that such actions not only damage the integrity of the legal profession but also signal a dangerous trend of professional misconduct.

Governor Alia urged the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to investigate and sanction individuals engaging in impersonation and unethical behavior.

He reaffirmed that the sponsors of the protests are known and driven by “a desperate desire to remove him from office,” but emphasized that they will not succeed.

“The people of Benue are united in their support for this administration. We remain focused on delivering tangible progress, and all arms of government are functioning smoothly,” he added.

The Governor concluded by assuring citizens that Benue State remains safe, stable, and committed to democratic governance.