AN OPEN PROTEST LETTER AGAINST THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF BENUE STATE RT. HON. GABRIEL TORWUA SUSWAM

AN OPEN PROTEST LETTER AGAINST THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF BENUE STATE RT. HON. GABRIEL TORWUA SUSWAM

TITLED : MANIPULATION OF JUSTICE, CORRUPTION, INSECURITY, AND      

UNDERDEVELOPMENT IN BENUE STATE

  

WRITTEN BY:

BENUE MONITORING TEAM

September 29, 2011

 

Distinguished men and women of the world, our leaders in government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the most respected members of the press community.

We come out here fully mobilized as Benue people. We have grievances against the Government of Dr. Gabriel Suswam, which it is our desire to be heard. We want the Federal Government of Nigeria, people and the world community to know our predicament.

Before we proceed, may we acknowledge this wisdom of one of Nigeria’s great leaders, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, he said;

                             “What it takes evil to prevail in any situation

                               Is for men of good will to keep silence in

                               Times of moral crises and decadence”

 

We the people of Benue State are today confronted with a multiplicity of problems in this practice of democracy institutionalized by constitution of our great country Nigeria.

As law abiding people, we had accepted wholeheartedly and submitted our collective will to the tenets of democracy since its inception in 1999.

Democracy as you know is government of a people by elected representatives of their own people. Abraham Lincoln apathy capture it as “government of the people, for the people and by the people”

Considering all these definitions, the people of Benue state like every other Nigerians were happy with the institutionalizing of this system in 1999, and greeted it with great enthusiasm. We believed that with democracy, our views will be heard. It was in our collective opinion that a Government elected by our people shall save us from all the incongruous practices of deceit, corruption, and organized brutality. Above all, we were confident that our votes will count and would always be counted in compliance with substantial justice.

Unfortunately, since 2007, at the inception of the administration of Governor Gabriel Suswam, till date, Benue State have been under siege of dangerous practices and organized criminality perpetrated by the Governor and his cronies.

We still maintained patience; most especially that democratic leadership in Nigeria is constitutionally bound by tenure of 4 – years.

In April 2011, general elections, Benue people voted. We all spoke with one voice, and our common word was “CHANGE”  

We opted for change because Benue people could no longer afford to pay children school fees, the cost pedestal for training children was raised far above our means of life. Again, change became an option of because joblessness  dominated the Benue community, There exist abject poverty, and we are completely subjected to dehumanizing and extreme conditions of oppression, suppression, assassinations, political slavery, and most dangerously economic inequality became extreme.

We expected that our franchise will be protected by a lawful and just system where fair elections will happen. BENUE PEOPLE massively and decisively voted for the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Governorship Candidate, Prof. Steve  Torkuma Ugbah. However, and most disappointedly, our mandate was stolen by broad day robbery, still as a peaceful people and law abiding citizens of Nigeria, Benue people maintained calm. We submitted to the assurance that substantial justice will be done by our Judiciary.

It is however, unfortunate that our confidence and hope in the judiciary has been betrayed. There are concerted efforts by the President of Nigeria, to infiltrate, frustrate and eliminate the conscience of the judiciary from the top. Here in Benue State, we are bothered with seemingly corrupt tendencies and most unprofessional conduct of judges following confused judgments with conspicuous biases against Benue people at the election tribunals and the appellate tribunals.

The book of Ephesians 4:27, says “Do not give the devil a chance” And now, we have heard enough and seen the devil. Governor GABRIEL SXUSWAM has publicly and severally declared that he has concluded election matters with Mr. President and Benue people shall see no justice.

At this point, upon Governor SUSWAM’S PUBLIC DECLARATIONS, the recent display of confusion and recklessness by the judiciary and the scheduled visit of President Goodluck Jonathan to celebrate Hon. Dr. Gabriel Suswam purported victory, is most pre-emptive of the evil ahead. We are therefore constrained to act a warning today. We come out in great numbers, yet peacefully; to demand to be heard by the people and Government of Nigeria, and the world community.

The world should know that there is great injustice happening in Benue State, and this, if not averted, it may degenerate into and irreparable confusion.

We are not unaware of the rebel options as it happens in most part of the world and even Nigeria. However, Benue people have always taken the part of honor, and today are also evident in history.

Today the people of Benue have demonstrated but peacefully, as a mark of Warning to all authorities in Nigeria and the world, that in this 21st century, a people cannot be governed without their consent.

In conclusion therefore, that our collective patience has exceeded its limit today. We demand for a more convincing adjudication and substantial justice in Benue state. We shall no longer condone any further provocation of injustice and Government of oppressors.

We would better accept to die than to take these dwelling slave conditions in our home land of Benue.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!   

     

 

OUR DEMANDS ARE FEW

v The school fees at the BSU should be reversed immediately.

v SUSWAM lost at the April election, so he should step down

v   Government should Stop using Benue money in buying judgment

v Return back the stolen billion of our tax payers money

v Make available the disputed WAEC result for public consumption

v Restore all the civil servants that were sack upon your Government perception that they voted for Prof. Steve Torkuma Ugbah

v Governor Suswam should fulfill his earlier that killers of Bar. Jande, Tony Udu and Pastor Adoor will be brought to justice

v The Government of Benue state should regard the law in compliance with the minimum wage act in Nigeria.