A support group in Benue known as Alia Network for Good Governance has called for the immediate removal of the chairman of Ado Local Government council, Hon. Sunny Oche.
The group in a statement by the Denis Vershima and Eric T. Terso, the group’s Convener and Secretary respectively, accused the chairman of anti-party activities and strong ties with Senator Minority Leader Senator Abba Moro.
Oche is of the ruling APC while Moro belongs to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The group said: “It has become important we communicate our displeasure over the ongoing political alliance between the Local Council Chairman of Ado, Hon Sunny Oche and Senator Patrick Abba Moro.
“The reason is because the governor has prioritized the interest of the Benue masses ahead of the selfish interests of a few.
“The determination of the Governor to make Benue a better place for the masses has come at a huge price, and has earned him powerful enemies who are desperate to fight the Governor to a halt and force their way back into our treasury.
“This is why we urge all well meaning people of our dear state, who desire a Benue that works for all, to stand with Governor Alia and support his good intentions against a group of selfish politicians.
“There is no doubt also that while people have their rights to pursue political ambitions and equally associate freely, such rights and privileges must not come at the detriment of the overall interests of the Alia administration and Benue people. Subordinates of the Alia government, particularly those reposed with the confidence of leading the various local councils are expected to key into the Alia agenda and bring his people/oriented polices to the grassroots level.”
Read Also: Benue Govt, CJ disagree over suspension
The group quoted a media statement that further elaborated of the alleged relationship between the Minority leader Senator Abba Moro and Hon. Sunny Oche of Ado LG.
“Last Sunday, precisely, February 16, 2025, the Chairman of Ado LGC, Hon. Sunday Oche hosted Senator Abba Moro in Ikpomilokpo, his ancestral Community, in Ado LG Area. Same Senator Moro, a politician known for insulting and undermining Governor Alia’s developmental strides.
“The Senator is of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) while Hon. Oche is of the APC. The Council boss has always bragged of his cosy relationship with the Senator so much so that he calls him his godfather. It was against this background that Hon Oche and his family openly worked for the PDP in all elections, from bottom to top and vice versa, in the 2023 polls.
“However, APC swept the poll while PDP lost all elections in Ado. This speaks to the weakness of Hon Sunday Oche as a paper weight.
“In his bid to show his loyalty to Senator Moro, on that fateful Sunday, Hon. Oche reportedly arranged Ezza community in Ikpomilokpo for the Senator to address and canvass support for his reelection bid in 2027.
“Before the reception in Ikpomilokpo, Senator Moro and Hon Oche had driven in a convoy to Apa- Ward in Ado and returned to Ikpomilokpo clan in the evening for reception and meeting.
“They drove in convoy in the SUV of the Senator to and from Apa. They were in Apa Ward on the invitation of Hon. James Oche, the Benue State Federal Commissioner of the Public Complaint Commission (PCC) who was holding his father’s one year remembrance ritual. The climax of the event was the commissioning of a house and the foundation laying ceremony of an Anglican Church by Senator Moro.
“A source in Ikpomilokpo who spoke on condition of anonymity said the Council boss urged the Ezza and Ikpomilokpo people to immediately embark on a House-to-House Campaign for Senator Moro’s reelection. The Ado Council boss in turn allegedly requested the Senator to hand him the PDP ticket to represent Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency in the 2027 election.
“His request is premised on the Senator’s confidence that he controls the entire PDP structure in Benue South.
“Hon. Oche has never hidden his desire to go to the House of Representatives. He comes from a super minority community called Ikpomilokpo, which has just two polling units. This is the reason why he started early by lobbying critical Stakeholders across Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency with bags of rice and cows that were supposed to be the exclusive preserve of Ado stakeholders.
“Hon. Oche believes that, having been imposed on Ado people as Council Chairman, the APC will not hand him the party’s ticket for Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency. That is why he is begging the Senator who claims to be in charge of PDP, to ‘dash’ him the ticket. So it was no surprise that both Hon. Oche and Senator Moro drove in a convoy to and from Apa-Agila, last Sunday, to commission a building in honour of the father of Hon. James Oche, who does hatchet job for the Senator.
“Before the macabre dance in Ikpomilokpo community, the same Hon Sunday Oche had had serious meetings in Abuja with Senator Moro to negotiate 2027.”
The group accused the council chairman of being a mole in the Alia Government and called for his immediate removal.