The Benue State House of Assembly has summoned Hon Terkirmbi Ikyange, Commissioner for Sport and Creativity and the Lobi Stars Football Club’s management, regarding the team’s poor performance in the ongoing 2024/2025 Nigeria Premier League.
The State House of Assembly gave the summon during its Plenary session presided over by the Speaker of the House, Hon Hyacinth Dajoh.
At Plenary, Hon Abraham Jabi, member representing Buruku State Constituency moved the motion of public interest asking the House to call Hon Ikyange and the management of the team to explain why the Benue Football team was struggling in the Premier League.
According to Hon Jabi, the State Government has made significant investments in the club, but rather than seeing the club rise to glory for the State, the activity was waning, which called for worries by citizens of the state.
He, therefore urged the House to call the Commissioner for Sport and Creativity and the Club’s Management to testify before the House and provide an explanation for why the Club was not meeting the expectations of the State’s citizens.
While seconding the motion, the member representing Makurdi North, Hon Alfred Emberga said sports especially football unite the people and should be given adequate attention.
” Whenever Nigeria Football team and even Lobi Stars Football Club Makurdi are playing, citizens gather to cheer them not minding party or religious affiliations but they would rather come together to cheer their team to win,” he said.
He then called on the Benue State Government to do its best to ensure that the state owned Club does not suffer relegation to the lower League.
Also speaking, the member representing Makurdi South, Hon Douglas Akya said the current administration under the leadership of Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia has invested much in Lobi Stars FC Club, charging the Club to reciprocate the efforts and attention the State Government has accorded them through good performance.
In a related development, Benue State House of Assembly has summoned Special Adviser to the Governor on Internal Security and that of Union and Labour Matters , Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Youth Mobilisation and Empowerment , Chairman Nation Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and Chairman ,Benue Motorcycle Hirers Association (BEMOA) to appear before the House.
The House made this known during Monday Plenary at the Benue State House of Assembly hearing hall in Makurdi.The Majority Leader of the House, Hon Saater Tiseer moved the motion for the House to summon them.
The House condemned the lingering crisis within the Benue Motorcycle Hirers Association (BEMOA) among others, calling on the warring parties to embrace peace.
The House therefore summoned the Special Advisers to the Governor on Internal Security and that of Unions and Labour Relations and the Senior Special Assistant on Youth Mobilisation and Empowerment and others to appear before the House.
Earlier, Hon Tiseer who moved the motion noted that since October, 2023 Transport Unions in Benue State especially, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and Motorcycle Hirers Association (BEMOA) have witnessed different forms of leadership crisis.Hon Tiseer who represents Mbagwa State Constituency further noted the House had earlier intervened in the lingering crisis to restore stability within the transport unions and ensure their hitch-free operations to no avail.
He said that the leadership crisis in BEMOA was lingering despite calls for resolution while expressing worry that if not checked, the crisis would metamorphosed into violent crisis which may tamper with the peace of the state.
Seconding the motion, Minority leader of the House, Hon Michael Audu called on Government appointees to desist from act of fueling crises in various unions in the State but rather concentrate on preaching peace for the good of all.
On his part, Member representing Makurdi North, Hon Alfred Emberga urged the House to be proactive on the matter in order to avoid what would degenerate to uncontrollable crisis .
