Today the Benue State Assembly is engulfed in another major calamity, one that portends to make or mar its continued existence with the allegation and subsequent arrest of nearly 80% of the Assembly’s constitution.
The members are at the moment, allegedly facing charges of corruption at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), for an alleged contract in the tune of over N700 million to one dubious car supply outfit claimed to be owned by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. James Okefe for the supply of Cars to all the House of Assembly members at the rate of N13.9 Million per car.
In a twist of events, the House members who have become a constant feature at the Abuja office of the EFCC in addition to series of famed arrests which have become the talk of every drinking parlour in the state, are now also believed to be plotting the removal of the Benue State Deputy Governor, Engr. Benson Abounu, pointing to him as the cause of their present predicament.
According to reports featured in The Punch Newspaper 3rd July, 2016, the 18 accused Assembly members led by the Majority Leader, Hon. Benjamin Adanyi are plotting to impeach the Deputy Governor because they claim his son was the author of the petition that has rained this wrath upon them.
As quoted in Punch Newspaper, the members have accused Abounu of “betrayal and mistrust”, believing that the deputy governor may have instructed his son to blow the whistle on them.
Given the viral nature of the impeachment story, Governor Samuel Ortom’s position of “if you chop money, money will chop you “and his public distancing from the supposed fraud, one will wonder if the honourable assembly’s leadership which is deeply enmeshed in this dishonourable tale is really in sync with the governor’s dream of a corruption free Benue.
It will not be wrong to assume that the whistle blowing as alleged may have dishonoured the honourable members and in a bid to restore this hard earned honour, may be taking their pound of flesh from the Deputy Governor instead of thrashing the issue at stake and the dealing with the infested wood that brought termites into the honourable House. A clear case of the proverbial “demolishing the ant hill while fearing the mountain”.
It is also mind boggling that although dishonourable accusations of fraudulent deals involving the Deputy Speaker, Hon. James Okefe have began flying since the inception and inauguration of the Assembly, its leadership has failed to call an inquisition into the matter in a bid to ascertain the veracity or otherwise of such claims in order to keep intact the Assembly’s honour- still if it would be a publicity stunt.
Even though the Assembly is yet to put out a rebuff to the story, neither has it categorically agreed to news of their constant visits to the EFCC, it has become common knowledge that the honour of the honourable house has been dishonoured by quite a huge number of dishonourable members through financial misappropriation.
If the above is the situation, then it will be honourable enough to agree that the move by the State Assembly (if true) is just another dishonourable way to honourably divert attention from the ongoing public interest in the current multi-million Naira saga it is dishonourably engulfed and create new interest for the public while they gradually patch up their dishonoured honour.
CAVEAT
The views expressed above are my personal beliefs and do not represent any official, institutional or group perception of the on-going saga. I also wish to state that I respect and shall continue to respect the honour of the Benue State Assembly which still parades some honourable members.
Ati Terkula is the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Benue state on MDGS Media/ ICT, He writes in from Makurdi.
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