The peaceful town of Benue, Nigeria has been embroiled in a heated dispute between Governor Hyacinth Alia and the immediate past Finance Commissioner, Mr. David Olofu, over the removal of Olofu's name from the list of Benue indigenes to be conferred chieftaincy titles by the Paramount Ruler of the Idoma tribe, HRM Och'Idoma Agabaidu Dr. Elaigwu Odogbo.
According to Olofu, he was informed by the Och'Idoma himself that his name had been removed from the list, a decision he attributed to a directive from Governor Alia, as reported by Vanguard.
However, the Governor's Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, has vehemently denied these allegations, describing them as "blackmail" and an attempt to tarnish the governor's reputation.
Olofu, who currently serves as the Senior Technical Adviser at the Nigerian Governors' Forum, maintains that he has never had any confrontation with Governor Alia and is a professional who has always kept a clear distinction between his political affiliations and his work.
He expressed disappointment over the removal of his name but stated that he has spoken to the former governor and has "allowed it" since Alia is the current governor.
In a swift response, Kula dismissed Olofu's claims, stating that the governor does not dictate to traditional rulers on matters of chieftaincy titles and awards.
He emphasized that Governor Alia is a "father for all" who caters to the needs of people from various political parties, including the PDP, APC, SDP, and LP.
Kula further challenged Olofu to provide any evidence that the governor had directly communicated with the traditional rulers to remove his name from the list, calling the allegations "blackmail" and an "evil machination" that must be stopped.