Benue State Governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, has sanctioned the removal of Dr. John Chem from his role as chairman of the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC). This decision follows a recommendation from the state House of Assembly on Wednesday, which cited the chairman’s poor judgment as the primary reason for his dismissal.
A statement from the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Kula Tersoo, released to the media in Makurdi on Friday, confirmed that Governor Alia has endorsed the Assembly’s resolution. The statement elaborated that the Assembly had criticized the BSIEC chairman for his inability to make decisions that would resonate positively with a majority of stakeholders, and for his actions not aligning with the public interest.
Governor Alia has accepted the Assembly’s recommendation and has instructed the SIEC chairman to promptly transfer his duties to the commission’s administrative secretary.