General News
Ex-Speaker Dajoh Claims Gov Alia’s Unpopular Decisions Forced Him to Resign:
*Tor Tiv Palace Relocation to Ihugh
*Taking road cost from N28b to N68b
*Deploying over N200m to sack Chief Judge
*Govt labels allegations,
“cocktail of conspiracy theories … falsehoods”
By Felix Umande, Makurdi
Former Benue State House of Assembly Speaker, Rt. Hon. Aondona Dajoh, has accused Governor Hyacinth Alia of orchestrating his removal from office after he rejected a directive to relocate the Palace of the Tor Tiv from Gboko to Ihugh, the governor’s hometown in Vandeikya LGA.
Dajoh made the allegations on Friday, 5th June 2026, during his 50th birthday celebration at Akpagher Mbatiav, Gboko LGA, before political associates, traditional leaders, family and supporters.
The former Speaker claimed Governor Alia sent an official communication directing him to move the revered Tor Tiv Palace from its ancestral headquarters in Gboko to Ihugh.
“Governor Alia sent a letter to me directing that I should relocate the Tor Tiv Palace from Gboko to his community, Ihugh. I rejected the idea. I told him that he wanted to kill me. This was one of my biggest offenses,” Dajoh said.
He alleged that Moses Ternenge, described as one of the governor’s most influential men, warned him that rejecting the proposal meant the end of his speakership.
Dajoh also accused the governor of deploying over N200 million in a failed attempt to remove Chief Judge Justice Maurice Ikpambese.
Clarifying his resignation, Dajoh said it was not due to any impeachment plot against the governor, as speculated by the Alia administration. He argued that a Speaker cannot single-handedly impeach a governor, challenging the administration to produce any impeachment notice signed by members if such a plot existed.
Dajoh listed core issues that triggered his fallout with the governor: a parliamentary probe into the Wurukum–Airforce–Tyomu Road contract that moved from N28 billion to N68 billion, the state wage bill, questions around alleged employment of 9,700 teachers, stepping down of two commissioner nominees, purchase of official cars for seven lawmakers, and the refusal to consider relocating the Tor Tiv Palace.
He further referenced a 2023 pre-election statement by Governor Alia in Jemgbagh that “anybody who beats the Jemgbagh people will be inflicted with madness,” arguing the governor had himself acted against Jemgbagh interests.
The Benue State Government responded on Saturday, 6th June 2026, through Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Sir Tersoo Kula, describing Dajoh’s claims as a “cocktail of conspiracy theories, unfounded accusations, outright falsehoods and reckless claims.”
Kula dismissed the palace relocation allegation as “entirely blatant falsehood, baseless and imaginary,” and challenged Dajoh to make public the alleged letter. He noted that any executive correspondence to the Assembly must be read on the floor as procedure demands, and that the Assembly was not Dajoh’s “private establishment.”
The CPS said the House lacks constitutional authority to relocate the headquarters of a traditional institution like the Tor Tiv Palace, and questioned Dajoh’s understanding of legislative powers.
On the N200 million claim, Kula said Dajoh “owes Benue people a clear explanation on where he took the money to, and who were the beneficiaries of the ‘bribe’ money.”
He also corrected Dajoh’s reference to the Wurukum–Airforce Base road, stating the project is the Wurukum–Renewed Hope Estate road after Angbaaye village, a federal highway approved by the Ministry of Works as a dual carriageway with a five-span bridge at River Mu, covering over 40km. Governor Alia, he added, obtained federal approval for the reconstruction.
Kula concluded that history will remember leaders for service and integrity, “not for miserable attempts to pontificate or grandstand after leaving office.”
Dajoh resigned as Speaker of the 10th Assembly in 2024 following months of tension with the executive. With both sides now trading accusations publicly, the dispute has reignited debate over executive-legislature relations, legislative oversight, and the protection of traditional institutions in Benue State.
By Nick Ibe, Abuja
To cushion the harsh impact of rising living costs, the Federal Government has approved a N70,000 monthly transport intervention for public service workers across all levels for six months, beginning in November 2026, .
This was one of the outcomes of the conciliation meeting between the Federal Government and the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, in Abuja on Tuesday, following renewed pressure from organised labour over the rising cost of living, workers’ welfare and outstanding agreements.
The government also approved the payment of peculiar allowance arrears, effective from May 1, 2026, in three equal monthly instalments beginning in November.
The parties did not agree on the effective date for implementing the national minimum wage, but agreed that the Minimum Wage Negotiation Committee would be constituted and commence meetings immediately.
The resolutions were contained in a memorandum of understanding signed at the end of the meeting by the Director-General of Budget, Timi Yakubu; NLC President, Joe Ajaero; the Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare Office, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Garba Abdul S.U.; and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi.
The document made public after the meeting was tagged: ‘Resolutions Reached at a Conciliation Meeting Held at Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment Between the Federal Government and the Leadership of Nigeria Labour Congress on Tuesday, 27th October, 2026’, outlined agreements on minimum wage negotiations, transport support, outstanding allowances, health workers’ remuneration, tax relief and hazard allowances for agricultural officers.
The meeting followed an earlier conciliation session held on October 22, 2026, convened by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment to address disagreements between the government and organised labour.
On the transport intervention, the document stated, “That transport intervention of Seventy Thousand Naira (N70,000) commencing from November 2026 would be paid across all levels for a period of six months.”
The agreement trails high transportation costs and the prices of other essential goods following the removal of the petrol subsidy in May 2023, by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Organised labour has repeatedly demanded measures to ease the economic pressure on workers, including reductions in petrol prices, improved wages and the implementation of outstanding welfare agreements.
The memorandum also noted the NLC leadership’s concerns about the government’s handling of its demands.
Addressing the disagreement, it stated that the NLC leadership “expressed concern over the Federal Government’s attitude towards the above issues.”
It added that the Federal Government, in response, “stated that it fully respects the right of the Congress to advocate for improved working conditions for Nigerian workers, and is genuinely trying to address every aspect of it through a structured intervention.”
On the national minimum wage, the parties agreed that the Minimum Wage Negotiation Committee would be constituted and commence meetings immediately.
However, the effective date of implementation remained unresolved.
The document stated, “It was agreed that the Minimum Wage Negotiation Committee would be constituted and commence meeting immediately. It should however be noted that there is a disagreement on the effective date of implementation.”
The disagreement leaves a key issue outstanding despite the commitment to begin negotiations without delay.
The national minimum wage became a major issue in 2024 when the Federal Government and organised labour negotiated an increase in the statutory minimum monthly wage from N30,000 to N70,000. The new rate was subsequently enacted into law through the National Minimum Wage Act.
The latest agreement refers to further discussions and the implementation date of the national minimum wage but does not provide details of the specific proposal under consideration or when the parties expect to conclude the negotiations.
The agreement indicates that while the government has approved some financial interventions, other workers’ demands remain subject to further negotiations, administrative verification or decisions by relevant government bodies.
“Trump… Please bring my son back to me. I am begging you for mercy.” And what Trump did when he heard those words… may bring tears to your eyes.
Her name was Malphine. She was 95 years old. A mother who had spent years waiting. Hoping. Praying. And one day… she finally got the chance to meet Trump. And stood before him. With all the strength she had left. And spoke the only words in her heart. Please. Bring my son home.
And Trump looked at this 95-year-old mother. Held her hands. And gave her a promise. I will bring your son home.
And Malphine held on to that promise. The way only a mother of 95 can hold on to something. When hope is all she has left.
Days went by. Weeks went by. And then one morning… the news finally arrived. Her son Marc was coming home. After years away. After years inside a foreign prison. After years of a mother waking up every single day, wondering whether she would ever get to hold her child again.
He stepped off that plane. And returned home. And when Marc’s feet finally touched American soil… Trump was there. In person. To welcome him. To embrace him. To look him in the eyes and say… welcome home. America has not forgotten you.
And in that single embrace…
Trump showed the world something that no speech and no rally could ever truly express: That America cares about its people. Wholeheartedly. Unconditionally. And never gives up fighting for them.
And today… I sat thinking about that story. And remembered every harsh word I had ever spoken about this man. Every judgment. Every doubt. Every moment I chose to look away. And I felt something I can hardly describe. Deep shame.
Because Malphine trusted Trump at 95 years old. With all the hope she had left. And he helped bring her son home.
Today… this is the side of Trump that so many people may never take the time to see.
Not the Trump in the headlines. Not the Trump on the rally stage. Just a man. Who listened to a 95-year-old mother pleading for her son. Worked to help answer her prayers. And personally showed up to welcome him home.
If this story touched your heart today… let God and every American reading this feel your .
And tell me honestly, in your own words — after reading this… can you still speak badly about President Trump? Because I truly find it difficult to do so. Not anymore. Not after hearing this story.
Sons of Liberty. Maga Movement
–Calls for NSCDC reforms, compensation for victims
By Son Tertsea, Abuja
Dehydration was cause of the death of the detained miners, the panel constituted to investigate the deaths of alleged illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Niger State Command, has stated.
The chairman of the committee, Jonathan Kure, while presenting the report to the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, in Abuja on Tuesday, , said the miners suffered acute respiratory failure.
He also corrected the earlier reports that 37 miners died in custódy, saying 33 miners were confirmed dead.
He said the miners collapsed after calling for water and were ignored by the personnel of the NSCDC.
He added that the detention room was overcrowded and poorly ventilated.
He said the miners were illegally arrested and detained, stressing that they were all detained beyond the legally allowed period.
Part of the panel’s report called for a total reform of the NSCDC as well as solicited compensation for the victims.
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