The former Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Hyacinth Dajoh, has alleged that Governor Hyacinth Alia compelled him to resign after he rejected a proposal to relocate the palace of the Tor Tiv from Gboko to the governor’s hometown.
Dajoh, who represented Gboko West in the assembly, was elected Speaker on June 5, 2023.
However, he stepped down in August 2025, just 48 hours after the assembly suspended four lawmakers over an alleged plot to remove him from office.
Following his resignation, the former Speaker was suspended for three months over allegations that he was involved in moves to impeach the governor.
The suspension was later extended by another six months in November while investigations into his conduct continued, a development his supporters described as a witch-hunt.
Speaking on Saturday during activities marking his 50th birthday in Akpagher Mbatiav, Gboko Local Government Area, Dajoh claimed that the circumstances surrounding his exit from office were orchestrated by the governor.
According to him, his refusal to support the relocation of the Tor Tiv palace from Gboko to Ihugh, Alia’s hometown in Vandeikya LGA, triggered the fallout.
Dajoh alleged that the governor communicated the proposal through an official letter, which he immediately opposed.
He claimed his rejection angered the governor and ultimately led to his removal from office.
“Governor Alia sent a letter to me directing that I should relocate the Tor Tiv Palace from Gboko to his community, Ihugh. I rejected the idea. I told him that he wanted to kill me. This was one of my biggest offences,” Dajoh said.
“When I rejected the idea of moving the Tor Tiv palace to the governor’s hometown, Moses Ternenge (one of the two most powerful men around Governor Alia) told me that if I rejected the proposal, I should consider that as the end of my speakership.”
The former Speaker also accused the governor of acting contrary to statements he made before the 2023 elections.
Dajoh recalled that Alia had, during a political gathering in Jemgbagh, warned that anyone who oppressed the people of the area would be struck with madness.
He argued that the governor had since taken actions that were against the interests of the Jemgbagh people.
“It was on this soil that Alia stood and said anybody who beats the Jemgbagh people will be inflicted with madness. But Alia has beaten Tor Jemgbagh and Ter Gboko, taken the Jemgbagh Speaker to another zone, beaten their sons, so he has been inflicted with madness,” Dajoh said.
Efforts to obtain a reaction from Tersoo Kula, Chief Press Secretary to the governor, were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.