By Bridget Ikyado
Makurdi – The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia has expressed concern over the destruction of his campaign office in Gboko by suspected by political thugs.
He described the incident as unfortunate and a misguided action, calling for brotherliness and issue-based campaigns as the 2023 elections draw near.
Alia in a statement issued by his media aide, Isaac Uzaan said people should focus more on new thinking and new ideologies that can transform Benue State and make life better for the people.
The governorship candidate who was in Gboko to assess the level of damage done to the office, said people should not resort to extremism in their political beliefs.
“We only have differences in ideologies and our differences must not take us to extremism.
“Let’s do politics with a difference. We still share the same blood and we are still making the struggle for the betterment of the state.
“Therefore, we cannot set out to destroy the other group, to destroy people’s lives, to destroy people’s property.
“This should not ever be permitted at all. We are not supposed to do politics of calumny, politics of destruction.
“We are only expected to be brotherly and all our politicking must be issue-based.
“We are in a sorry state, we should be thinking about what we must do for our people,” he added.
Alia called on stakeholders and elders across party divides to be progressive minded and always engage the youths in healthy activities that will significantly benefit their lives and the lives of the people around them.
He appealed to the youth to shun any politician who will use them for destructive purposes.
“It is my appeal to the youth to be more reasonable, to be more calculative, and to be more thoughtful about their own lives; what they can contribute to the state and not what they can destroy in the state,” he added.
The APC governorship candidate said his focus was to address the myriad of challenges facing the state.
“I’m a bridge builder. I’m coming as someone who is going to make a difference. This is politics of yesterday.
” We cannot continue like this. We need to do something that can put us in a new pedestal.
“We need to be going ahead. We are a new generation, new thinking, new ideologies and we must have new plans in place,” Alia said.
Earlier, the state APC Woman Leader, Mrs Esther Inenger, who donated the campaign office, said she has been under threat of attack and was physically assaulted at Gboko main market recently by some youths.
She explained that the thugs destroyed billboards and carted away chairs, tables and some valuables from the office. ( NAN/vitalnewsngr.com)
