From Scholastica Onyeka, Makurdi
The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, has promised to deliver an honest and profitable amnesty to criminals in the state if elected Governor.
He said the promise will be easier to fulfil if Bola Ahmed Tinubu is elected President, saying that he can vouch for the proactive and candour of the APC presidential flag bearer.
Alia, who made the pledge at Tor-Donga, in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area during a campaign visit, lamented that many criminals that would have been properly rehabilitated and reintegrated to be useful to society have gone back to a life of crime.
He stated that the amnesty he would offer would not be akin to those hurriedly arranged with hypes and braggadocio in the past just to achieve cheap popularity, but that this time, he will ensure that all those hiding in the creeks are harvested and their lives bettered.
He lamented that Tor-donga and the neighbouring communities have remained dreaded as a hub of criminal activities even after the death of a criminal kingpin, Terwase Akwaza aka Gana who reigned supreme following the failure of the earlier organised amnesty programme.
“I beg you to come out en masse this Saturday and vote Bola Ahmed Tinubu as president of Nigeria.”
Alia, who dismissed what he, termed mischievous tagging of the APC ticket as a Muslim-Muslim ticket, said those playing the religious card are out to blackmail and confuse Nigerians to their advantage.
“Tinubu has a wife who is not only a Christian but a pastor. If he cannot Islamize his wife and children, why would one think he will Islamize Nigeria, if not mischief?
“I assure you, Jagaban is the only person I believe will answer anytime I knock at his door. So, just do me this favour and vote for him.
A statement signed by the Director Communications, Alia/Ode Campaign Organization, Kula Tersoo, said the APC candidate was earlier feted by unions in the Local Government, including Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees NULGE, Nigeria Union of Teachers, (NUT), College of Education Academic Staff Union, (COASU), National Union of Road Transport Workers, (NURTW), Nigeria Union of Pensioners, (NUP) among others, where he also promised to ensure he wipes their tears if voted into office.