Benue PDP Criticizes Alia's Attendance Register Directive

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State condemned a directive issued by Governor Hyacinth Alia, which mandates all 23 local government areas to maintain daily attendance registers for their workers. This directive was communicated through a letter dated September 24, 2026, signed by John Akume, the Permanent Secretary of the Benue State Local Government Service Commission.

The circular stated that only staff who achieve a minimum of 25 days of punctuality would be eligible for salary payments, with compliance required from October 1, 2026. The PDP, through its state publicity secretary Bright Antyo, described the directive as draconian and anti-worker, arguing it contradicts a Supreme Court judgment from July 2024 that affirmed local governments' financial and administrative autonomy.

The party asserted that the directive undermines local government independence and exposes a discrepancy between the governor's public statements and actual governance practices.