The Vanguards Of Democracy And Public Peace (VODAPP) has urged President Bola Tinubu to terminate the appointment of Mathias Byuan, the Executive Director of Account and Finance, Federal Housing Authority (FHA).
The group also called for Byuan’s arrest and probe for breach of public peace, high-handedness, and alleged mismanagement of public funds.
In a statement signed by its coordinator, Cosmos Okparaibe, the pro-democracy group accused the new appointee of conniving with some politicians in Benue State to create panic and worsen the insecurity in the state.
In desperation to be the next governor, Okparaibe claimed that Byuan had channelled funds meant for housing development to his ambition.
“It is no longer news that immediately after the appointment of Mr. Mathias Byuan as the Executive Director, Account and Finance of the Federal Housing Authority (FHA), he started moving around, campaigning for the Benue APC 2027 governorship primaries against public service protocols and the electoral laws of Nigeria,” the statement said.
“Mr. Mathias Byuan who has boasted to many that he is now in control of N126billion (being the amount released by the FG for the prosecution of housing projects for Nigerians), has not spared any moment to demonstrate his desperation and readiness to use public funds to prosecute an election that is still many years ahead.
“It is on record that on t8/02/2024, Mr. Mathias Byuan met with ‘Zone C APC elders and youths in his Abuja residence’. The delegation led by the immediate past chairman of Benue APC, Emmanuel Abba Yaro, was promised by Mr. Byuan that he would hand over power to the senatorial zone after one term.
“Mr. Byuan was reported to have lavished millions on the delegation in exchange for their political support ahead of the 2027 Benue state governorship election. After another series of meetings where Mr. Byuan also reportedly gave out over 100millions, he connived with the suspended Chairman of Benue APC, Comrade Austin Agada, to call for an expanded APC EXCO meeting with him in Makurdi, in continuation of his ill-fated 2027 governorship bid.
“Despite the security threat posed by the meeting and the directive of the state government and subsequently, that of the Commissioner of Police in the state, calling for a stay on political gatherings, Mr. Mathias Byuan and the suspended chairman of Benue APC, Comrade Austin Agada, invaded Benue state with armed thugs.
“These thugs according to reports, unleashed mayhem on the people of Benue state and the immediate and remote consequences were the shooting of a lady by the thugs reported to be led by the suspended state chairman of APC, Austin Agada, and renewed hostilities against Benue people by those suspected to be the armed men led by these political actors.
“It is therefore undermining the president that his appointee will be involved in activities that erode his rigorous efforts to arrest the spate of insecurity across the country.
“Mr. Mathias Byuan must be sacked, investigated for the breach of public peace, arrested, and prosecuted to deter others who might hide under the umbrella of executive positions to perpetrate insecurity across the country.
“Nigerians are also wondering whether the huge amount of money released to the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) by the federal government can be managed effectively and judiciously used for the overall interest of Nigerians by Mr. Mathias Byuan who is already boasting to have a war chest of N126billion for the Benue 2027 governorship elections, and also spending millions lavishly in prosecution of same wild goose chase.
“It is also on record that Mr. Mathias Byuan on the 26th of June 2023, during the 40th birthday dinner of the suspended Benue APC chairman, Austin Agada, boasted before the mammoth crowd that he attempted to bribe Austin Agada, who was then state chairman of APC, with the sum of N500million, to cede the 2023 governorship ticket of the party to him, possess the requisite character to occupy an esteemed position that requires integrity and financial probity. ”
The group, therefore, urged President Tinubu to be wary of accepting nominations for appointments from the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, “known for recommending the timidest and unqualified for political appointments for economic gains”.
