Please Find Here A Statement From Dr Ortom's Aide Regarding "Suswam's 8SUVs To The Gov Elect".

One of the aides to the Gov elect of Benue state has cleared the air on the controversy trailing the 8 SUVs given to Dr Ortom by Dr Suswam,please read carefully and understand that this exercise is part of the process of transition and part of the tradition of handing over,read his statement below.

We understand the anger the issue of the cars given to the Governor-elect,  Dr Samuel Ortom by the outgoing governor, Dr Gabriel Suswam has generated here and elsewhere. This is understandable, given the manner the outgoing governor has run the state aground. The disapproval of Suswam and his cronies was demonstrated in the result of the general elections in the state with the wide acceptance Dr Ortom received at the polls. It's a pointer that anything short of the expectations of the people of the state will be condemned. And for the avoidance of doubts, Dr Ortom holds this mandate with great care and will not do anything to the contrary.

Its an open secret that Dr Suswam has inflicted pain and so much injury on the people of the state. That is why even this official traditional act is viewed with contempt. For the purpose of clarity, the cars are official vehicles for the governor-elect and his deputy as well as their spouses. In 1999, former Military Administrator of Benue state , Brig-Gen Dominic Oneya bought two Peugeot cars and gave to Sen George Akume, then a Governor-elect. In 2007, Akume did same to Suswam. Suswam is only following the tradition which in itself is not alien to the processes of handing over to an elected government. It's again seen differently here because of the plight of our civil servants,  pensioners and Teachers in the state. The cost of these vehicles may have been inflated but that in itself is another issue all together.

It is on this score that the outgoing governor's gesture is seen as a bad omen to the incoming government. Let me say here, Dr Ortom would not deviate  from the mandate given him by the people of the state. At the federal level, General Muhammadu Buhari, the President-elect has recently moved from his private residence to the Defence House in Maitama, Abuja with all the perks of the office, Dr Suswam feels obliged to replicate same.

The people of Benue state should be assured that Dr Ortom will not abdicate his responsibility and covenant with them. He has set out a clear agenda to reposition Benue state and take it out from its current position to where it should be. And collectively,  we'll get there

Nathaniel Ikyur 

Director  of Social Media Affairs