Viral video on council poll false – Benue govt
By Henry Iyorkase, Makurdi
The Benue State Government has condemned unsubstantiated claims and dismissed a circulating video as misleading, linking it to the just-concluded local government elections, which it described as the work of mischief-makers, and called the insinuations false.
The Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State, Mr Tersoo Kula, in a statement made available to journalists on Thursday in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, expressed concern over the video circulating in connection with the local government polls held last Saturday.
He pointed out that the insinuations were false, emphasizing that the election did indeed take place.
Mr Kula reiterated that the claims were a calculated attempt to tarnish the hard-earned reputation of the government under Governor Hyacinth Alia’s leadership, dismissing the allegations outright.
According to him, the video was used to ridicule the Government of Benue State and the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC), describing it as nothing more than a desperate attempt by certain individuals to score cheap political points.
The Chief Press Secretary insisted that after a review, it became clear that the video was a staged drama orchestrated by those seeking to undermine the good governance of His Excellency, Fr Hyacinth Alia.
“Upon scrutiny, we found no credible evidence linking this fabricated content to the governor or his administration,” he explained.
Prior to the elections, credible sources had informed the government of underhanded plans by some opposition elements to discredit the electoral process, he added.
“This video appears to be one of their tactics to cast a shadow over what was a transparent and violence-free election.”
He emphasised that the election marked a significant milestone, as it was the first time in many years that voters in the state had access to ballot papers for local government elections.
“For the first time, since the final resurgence of democracy in Nigeria, BSIEC recruited and meticulously trained all ad-hoc staff for the polls. There was also massive deployment of ad-hoc staff, and sensitive and non-sensitive materials were distributed in the full glare of the media and political party agents.”
The government urged journalists and media outlets, particularly Arise TV, which aired the misleading video and accompanying commentary, to uphold the ethics of their profession, stressing the need to cross-check facts and avoid being swayed by mere spectacle before going public.