MAKURDI, NIGERIA — A prominent chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State, Barr. Napoleon Otache, has issued a scathing assessment of Governor Hyacinth Alia’s administration, declaring that governance in the state has reached its “lowest ebb” despite a surge in federal allocations.
Speaking on Thursday, May 7, 2026, Otache warned that the state’s political and economic foundation is fracturing due to the non-payment of civil servants and retirees. “Civil servants and pensioners are still being owed despite increased revenues,” Otache remarked, noting that the disconnect between state wealth and worker welfare is creating cracks that could lead to serious consequences for the APC in 2027.
Pensioner Crisis: Local Government Retirees Excluded
While Governor Alia has previously pledged to clear backlogs of pensions and gratuities, reports from the frontline indicate a severe disparity in how these payments are distributed. Although the state government has made progress with some payments, local government retirees across the 23 LGAs are still reportedly grappling with massive unpaid entitlements.
Specific details on the unpaid arrears include:
- The 96-Month Debt: Local government pensioners are still reportedly navigating up to 96 months of unpaid entitlements, with many state-level retirees still waiting on 42 months of backlogs.
- Selective Payments: Labor leaders have raised concerns that recent payment directives often favour state-level retirees, leaving those at the local government level completely excluded from the most recent 2026 disbursements.
- Flashpoint LGAs: Retirees in Katsina-Ala, Gwer West, and Otukpo have been among the most vocal, with local union members in Katsina-Ala recently highlighting their plight over non-payment of 2026 arrears.
- Minimum Wage Gap: There is growing frustration that pensions have not been harmonised with the new ₦75,000 minimum wage, leaving some rural retirees with monthly payments as low as ₦2,000.
A Fragile Peace within the APC
The economic unrest is compounded by a deep-seated political rift between Governor Alia and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume.
Although a presidency-brokered reconciliation meeting was held on May 3, 2026, where the two leaders reportedly embraced peace, Barr. Otache suggests the unity is merely cosmetic. He warned that “angry civil servants vote,” and a divided house will only embolden opposition forces as the 2027 election cycle approaches. The governor’s actions, according to Otache, have created a deep division that needs urgent mending to avoid a total collapse of the party’s structure in Benue.
