By Akinwale Kasali
The All Progressives Congress, APC, has called for the impeachment of Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, over alleged high handedness, illegal and unlawful maladministration of the Local Government Councils of the State.
At a Press Conference held at the APC Secretariat in Makurdi, Benue State capital, Friday, August 19, 2022, the APC said It has become necessary to intimate the general public about the nefarious deeds of Governor Ortom regarding the day to day running of the Local Government Councils in the State.
In a statement signed by the State Publicity Secretary, Daniel Ihomun, APC alleged that Governor Ortom is presently mismanaging the Local Government Councils and has adopted measures aimed at totally annihilating the Local Government system in Benue State.
APC, the opposition Party in the State said that the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, places a duty on the Governor of a State to ensure that the system of Local Government continues unhindered, but the Governor has resorted in destroying the survival of the Local Government Councils.
“It is the duty of the Governor of a State to ensure the uninterrupted existence and survival of Local Government Councils democratically, rather than being responsible for destroying them. Local Governments are creations of the Constitution. However, it is rather unfortunate that, Samuel Ortom’s administration is not aware of this fact.
“Local Governments in Nigeria derive their survival and legality from the provisions of section 7 (1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), which provides that;
“The system of local government by democratically elected local government councils is under this Constitution guaranteed; and accordingly, the Government of every State shall, subject to section 8 of this Constitution, ensure their existence under a Law which provides for the establishment, structure, composition, finance and functions of such councils”.
“The law is therefore trite that, it is the duty of State Governments to ensure the smooth running of Local Governments in their various States. This responsibility includes the conduct of free and fair elections, to elect both the Local Government Executive and Legislative arms. Not just that, it is the responsibility of the State Government to ensure that, the elected officials are duly inaugurated to enable them carry out their duties accordingly.
“The legal status of a Local Government as an important tier of government has been recognized in the Constitution of Nigeria , the Constitution makes it is mandatory for the State Government to ensure the survival of Local Governments by conducting periodic free and fair elections of the local government officials. It is also the duty of the State Government to ensure that, the elected local government officials are duly sworn into office”.
The APC said it is sad and disheartening that Governor Ortom’s undying desire to mismanage Local Governments in Benue State, and run them as his private ventures has made him to disregard every provision of the Constitution on Local Government administration.
“Firstly, Ortom has failed to conduct democratically free and fair elections as required by Section 7 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended). Although, there are certain persons, parading themselves as Local Government chairmen in the various Local Government Areas in Benue State, in actual fact no elections held. The PDP government dubiously handpicked loyalists of the Governor and announced them elected. This singular act is unconstitutional and illegal
“Most questionable is the fact that, even although, Governor Ortom has inaugurated his so-called Local Government chairmen, he has failed to direct his chairmen to swear-in their deputies as well as the Councilors representing the various Council Wards in the various Local Governments in Benue State. What Ortom aims to achieve from this dubious tactic is clear for everyone to see; The absence of the Councilors comprising the legislative arm of the Local Government will make it easier for members of the Ortom’s admin to embezzle funds meant for the running of those Local Governments and divert same into their personal pockets.
“The primary role of the Legislature in every tier of government, be it at the Federal, State or Local Government level is to ensure checks and balances, especially when it comes to the financial expenditure of the executive arm. Therefore, the importance of the Legislative arm of a Local Government cannot be overemphasized. The Councilors have a duty of supervising the discharge of the functions of their Local Government chairmen, succinctly provided for, under the Fourth Schedule to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“It is also the duty of the Councilors to approve budget before money is expended on any project in the Local Government. Currently in Benue State, there exists Local Government chairmen with no Councilors in the Legislative arms. However, these chairmen have been working and spending money on a daily basis for several months, without any corresponding legislative arm of Government in office, approving same. This has rather turned the chairmen into Sole Administrators, contrary to the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
“It has become a matter of public concern that, the State Government has a dubious agenda, targeted at killing the Local Government system in Benue State. The Governor’s desire to become the richest man in the world, has pushed him to install in office, stooges as chairmen into the 23 Local Governments in the State, so as to achieve his unquenchable agenda of plundering all the resources meant for the people and to invest into private and personal projects, and to build castles for himself, his children and for generations yet unborn. This rather devilish agenda has become more suspicious, due to his outright instructions to his Local Government Chairmen not to inaugurate the legislative arms in their various Local Government Councils”.
The APC insists that Governor Ortom is aiding corruption. It also alleged that under his watch, huge sums of money have escaped the State’s coffers, unaccounted for.
“The Governor cares less about the people , to say the least. He has been standing against the people development by misappropriating monies meant for the growth and development of the various Local Governments in the State. Those at the receiving end of Governor ortom’s maladministration, mismanagement and acts of rascality concerning Local Government resources are the common people, who have been thrown into poverty and unbearable hardship. Local Governments are supposed to be the tier of Government with the closest ties and meaningful impact on the people. However, in Benue State, Governor Ortom has stood firm and in the most despicable manner, in ensuring that the people do not benefit anything from their various Local Government Councils.
“From the foregoing, we submit that, Governor Ortom’s acts of maladministration in piloting the affairs of Local Governments in Benue State, coupled with his illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional overlapping interference into the smooth running of the said Local Government Councils is unforgivable.
“Ortom must be impeached, so as to save the Local Government administrations in the State from being driven into total and comprehensive extinction. Ortom is the problem and must therefore vacate office in line with the Latin Maxim, “CESSANTE CAUSA, CESSAT EFFECTUS” meaning, “The cause ceasing, the effect ceases”. We therefore, call upon the Benue State House of Assembly, to forthwith and without more, initiate impeachment proceedings against Governor Samuel Ortom. When Ortom is ruthlessly shown the exit door out of Government House, only then would sanity return to Benue”, the statement reads.
