Matters Arising: Suspension of Benue LG Chairman, by Dr. Jonathan Onoja Isaac
It has been argued by so many people especially from the Benue APC members in favour of the suspension of the 23 local government chairmen, that the suspended LG chairmen are capable of posing a threat to Governor Alia’s administration if allowed to continue in office.
Those who hold this view wonder how else it will be perceived if a chairman of a local government council and a member of the opposition party will remain in office under the ruling party without using the office for the interest of his former boss, Samuel Ortom, who many see as the worst governor in the history of the state.
They base their views on past scenarios where suspended chairmen had in the past adjudicated.
Notwithstanding, the divergent opinions on whether the suspended chairmen should be returned to office, I appeal to the Governor, His Excellency, Fr(Dr) Hyciant Alia, to carefully Xray the activities of some of the chairmen that used the council’s allocation for their aggrandizement and prosecute those found guilty.
Be that as it may, many of these suspended chairmen may not have looted the resources to further their nests.
For instance, it is on record that some of them like the Ogbadibo Local government chairman, Hon. Abah Umoru, have been performing credibly well in the last one year with the meager resources made available to the council despite the paper allocations that characterized Ortom’s Administration.
And as we know, the local government chairmen in Benue State under the immediate past Governor Samuel Ortom cannot boldly say they received security votes, except for a few.
Yet, the former governor in a way indicted the chairmen when he claimed on paper that they were paid these monies.
I make this plea on behalf of the good people of Ogbadibo Local Government Area, having considered the suspended chairman’s accomplishments during his short stay in office and more success stories, I believe, will continue if allowed to continue the good work.
Presently, the world has shifted from the old order while tilting towards competence and capacity to deliver, transcending political party affiliation where the process of appointment of officials is heavily influenced by political considerations or where the chairmen’s tenures of office are dependent on their ability to satisfy political objectives rather than their oath of office.
It is for these reasons that I intend to focus yet again on an issue which in my estimations, given our social and political realities, is capable of halting the ability of the chairmen to effectively discharge their duties.
As I draw the curtain to a close, I wish to categorically say that Ogbadibo Local Government is not part of the ongoing media rejection of the suspension by some acclaimed capacity chairmen.
And again, I wish to appeal to the Governor to please reconsider the chairman of Ogbadibo Local Government Council, the legendary Hon. Abah Umoru who is certainly considered the best by many.
Hon. Abah who is currently building blocks of classrooms in Itabono has constructed roads in almost all the wards, renovated the local government secretariat building, and renovated some blocks of classrooms in almost all the wards including electrification of some wards. He is generally regarded as the best and current performing chairman in the Benue South.
Even though he has not had the best of time in the council, he has delivered well just a year in the office.
Your Excellency Sir, please, do Ogbadibo this favour and you will surely be remembered.
Thank you All.
Amb(Dr) Jonathan Onoja Isaac,
Cooperate Security Consultant/Analyst, Public Intellectual, Author & Media consultant writes from Abuja Nigeria.
Tel: 08164791155
Email: Isaacjonathan284@yahoo.com.
