**Stop Using Alia as a Scapegoat, Group Warns Governorship Aspirants in Benue** A group of intellectuals from the Kunav extraction in Benue State, known as the Kunav Progressive Academics (KPA), has cautioned governorship candidates from the same extraction to stop using the state governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, as a scapegoat for their political ambitions. Governor Alia, a native of the Kunav community in Vandeikya Local Government Area, has been a subject of attack from some governorship aspirants who claim he is behind the attacks on churches and Christian communities in the state. However, the KPA has described this as a mischievous attempt to blacken Alia's name and undermine his leadership. At a press conference in Makurdi, the leaders of the KPA, Prof. Daniel Chile and Prof. Elijah Ikpanor, accused the governorship aspirants of presenting half-truths and twisting facts to suit their political agenda. They argued that Alia is not a sectional leader but the governor of Benue State, elected by the majority of votes across the state. The KPA also identified the individuals behind the petition as seasoned politicians who have been playing the politics of Benue State for years. They accused these politicians of using their ambition to unseat Alia as an excuse to discredit him. This development comes at a time when Benue State is facing numerous challenges, including insecurity and economic hardship. The KPA has urged the governorship aspirants to focus on providing solutions to the state's problems rather than engaging in petty politics and blackmail. In a state where politics is often characterized by tribal and sectional sentiments, the KPA's cautionary statement is a timely reminder that governance is about serving the people, not about using them for personal gains. The group's call for responsible governance is a welcome development in the Benue politics.