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Tag: Suswam

  • Fed Govt’s N500m relief fund still intact, says Suswam

    Fed Govt’s N500m relief fund still intact, says Suswam

    Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam yesterday said his administration has not shared among the local governments the N500 million the Federal Government donated to last year’s flood victims.

    The governor spoke at the IBB Square, Makurdi, the state capital, during this year’s Democracy Day celebration.

    He explained that the fund would be shared among the local governments on the basis of the degree of devastation they suffered during the flooding.

    According to him, the fund will be spent on the execution of projects, including schools and clinics.

    Suswam said the most affected council will get N101 million.

    The governor also explained that his administration did not share the fund among the victims because such method would not achieve the desired impact.

    He said the government resolved to build structures with the fund so that the victims can benefit more from the projects instead of taking some cash they would have spent since.

    Suswam said the government has created a Ministry of Environment and Urban Development to handle the challenges in the sector.

    The governor urged the residents to avoid blocking drainage with wastes.

    Suswam said he was taken to court to produce the money, adding that the money will be spent on the the flood victims and not the entire state.

  • Benue ACN to Suswam: account for N13b bond

    •Money spent on roads, others, says govt

    The Benue State Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has asked the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration under Governor Gabriel Suswam to show the people what they have done with the N13billion bond the government borrowed from some banks.

    But the Special Assistant to the Governor on Media Affairs Dr Cletus Akwaya said the money was spent on some vital projects.

    ACN Chairman, Comrade Abba Yaro, told The Nation in Makurdi, the state capital, that the Suswam administration allegedly spent the N13billion bond on litigations.

    Morro said there is nothing on ground to suggest that such a huge fund, which was borrowed from the capital market, has been judiciously spent on infrastructural development.

    He said: “As I’m speaking to you, the Benue State Government is at a standstill. There is no single ongoing project – whether it is water, road, or a primary school’s renovation. I think the chunk of the money was used on litigations during the battle by the ACN to recover its stolen mandate. The rest is now being used in buying up every building in the state capital by PDP stalwarts and their cohorts.”

    The ACN chairman said if the billions were judiciously applied, primary school teachers would have been paid their minimum wage, pupils would not have been squatting on bare floors to receive lesson and the state university’s (BSU) students and lecturers would have enough offices and lecture theatres.”

    Yaro noted that since the ruling PDP has run out of good ideas, it should stop further borrowing.

    The politician warned the ruling party to avoid piling up debts for the in-coming administration.

    According to him, the ruling PDP in Benue State has not executed any project that impacts positively on the residents.

    Yaro noted that though Benue State is called the food basket of the nation, the state has abandoned agriculture under the Suswam administration.

    But Dr Akwaya said part of the money was used to complete the Makurdi Greater Works, which President Goodluck Jonathan has inaugurated.

    The governor’s aide said the Benue State University Teaching Hospital in Makurdi and a number of roads, which he did not name, were completed with the bond.

    He directed our correspondent to the Finance Commissioner for details on the bond.

    The sixth Assembly had approved for Suswam to go to the capital market and borrow N13billion bond for infrastructural development.

    The governor sought to borrow the money through a bill to the House of Assembly.

    The lawmakers passed the bill into law and the government borrowed the N13billion through the capital market.

     

  • Suswam, minister mourn Benue ex-Deputy Governor Ajene

    •Body expected from London Friday

    Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam and Interior Minister Abba Morro have mourned a former deputy governor of the state, Prince Ogiri Ajene, who died in a London hospital.

    He was 56.

    The governor noted that Ajene’s demise has left a vacuum that would be difficult to fill in the political leadership of the state, especially in Benue South Senatorial District, where he hailed from.

    Suswam said he was saddened by the death of the former deputy governor, who he described as a patriotic Nigerian, an elder statesman, a true leader, a grassroots politician and a trusted political ally.

    According to him, Ajene’s love for Benue State cannot be matched.

    Suswam condoled with the Ajene family, the people of Obi Local Government Area in Benue South Senatorial District as well as the people of the state on the irreparable loss.

    The governor prayed Almighty God to grant Ajene’s soul eternal rest.

    Morro described the former governor’s death as painful and shocking.

    In a statement yesterday in Abuja by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr George Udoh, the minister noted that the late Ajene was a great son of Benue State and Nigeria.

    He said the late politician’s contributions to the growth and development of Benue State would remain indelible in the annals of history.

    Morro extolled the virtues of the late deputy governor, adding that he would be missed for his political shrewdness, experience, knowledge, flexibility, especially the role he played as two-term deputy governor of Benue State between 1999 and 2007.

    A Benue State delegation, led by the Deputy Governor Steven Lawani, has departed for London to bring back the body of the late Ajene.

    The Nation learnt that the Lawani-led delegation would return to Nigeria on Friday with Ajene’s body before a funeral programme would be announced.

  • Suswam: He was Nigeria’s William Shakespeare

    Suswam: He was Nigeria’s William Shakespeare

    Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam, has expressed sadness over the death of literary icon, Professor Chinua Achebe.

    He said it was painful the sage whose literary prowess, strength of character and integrity loomed larger than life would succumb to the cold hands of death at the time the world was waiting on his fertile mind for creative and lasting solutions to the trouble with Nigeria.

    According to him: “Achebe was a man who demonstrated with his lifestyle and works that there is candour and beauty in simplicity of expression and carriage.

    He added: “Now, with his passage, another solid pillar of our nation’s conscience has fallen and things would appear to be no longer at ease.

    “We are, however, comforted that people like Chinua Achebe don’t really die. They live in our hearts and in their works.

    “He was Nigeria’s William Shakespeare who has bequeathed a sumptuous reservoir of knowledge and wisdom that the world will continue to drink from for centuries to come.”

     

  • Certificate forgery: Challenger drags Suswam to Supreme Court

    Certificate forgery: Challenger drags Suswam to Supreme Court

    There is no respite yet for Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam, over his alleged certificate forgery case.

    His main opponent in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries, Hon Terver Kakih, has headed to the Supreme Court to challenge the decision of the Court of Appeal Makurdi, which struck out the case last week.

    Kakih contested the PDP governorship primaries against Governor Suswam and lost.

    He later dragged the governor to court over alleged certificate forgery.

    He also alleged that apart from certificate forgery, Suswam lied on oath in his INEC form CF 100.

    The Federal High Court in Makurdi presided by Justice Marcel Awokulehim struck out the case.

    Kakih proceeded to the Makurdi Division of the Court of Appeal.

    Justice John Okolo in his lead judgement also dismissed the matter and awarded N50, 000 cost in favour of Suswam and PDP.

    Speaking to newsmen in Markurdi, Kakih revealed he was on his way to the Supreme Court to challenge the decision of the lower court.

    He insisted there is substantial evidence that Suswam forged his certificate, alleging the Court of Appeal denied him justice.

     

     

     

     

     

  • Killings in North sign of failing state, says Suswam

    Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam has said the killings in the North are indications that Nigeria is heading towards becoming a failed state.

    Suswam spoke yesterday in Kaduna.

    A former Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Alpha Belgore, said with the kind of weapons being used by members of the Boko Haram , it was evident that they were being sponsored from outside the country.

    The governor accused the country’s leaders of selfishness, unlike the founding fathers.

    Delivering a lecture entitled “Our diversity, our strength” at the third Kaduna Town Hall Lecture, Suswam said: “The mindless killings going on in the North clearly indicate that Nigeria is heading towards a failed society. This is because all the indices are there. In a country where life becomes valueless, it means that that country is heading towards a failed society.

    “In the North, where dignity was the order of the day, unfortunately today, we are mindlessly killing people. Everyday, you wake up you hear stories of 10 people have been killed here and there.

    “It is as if we are slaughtering goats and cows, killing children and women because some people feel that our diversity should be used for mischief purpose. I feel that we must collectively as a people, especially those of us from the North, take the issue very seriously because the economic repercussion 10 years down the road is better imagined.”

    The governor said politicians often put themselves forward for elective offices using the cultural and religious diversity of the nation as their campaign weapon, adding that “when it is convenient for those of us who are practising politicians to work together, we will say that we want one Nigeria.”

    He added: “ People use religion for political reasons; they use their position for different reasons and I believe that these are people who want to create mischief when it is convenient for them.

    “What are our differences? Do we even understand what these differences are? Sometimes, we are beclouded by sentiment. If we understand what our differences are, we will be able to sort ourselves out. But because we are not taking time to understand those things that makes us different from each others, we are fighting ourselves unnecessarily.”

    He said the leaders of independence Nigeria were self-less.

    “Our leaders that have been mentioned here, Sir Ahmadu Bello and others, were leaders that had no bias in them and believe in humanity and so, they treated their citizens and followers as human beings.

    “I don’t think that we can say the same thing about us the present leadership,” he said.

    The governor said the late Ahmadu Bello showed exemplary leadership.

    He said: “He never had issues with that (being a Christian or Muslim). The first sets of Generals in Benue were people selected by Ahmadu Bello inspite of the seemingly misunderstanding that he had with the then Middle Belt leadr, JS Tarka.”

    Belgore said those fighting in the Northeastern part of the country were trained outside the country and are being sponsored to destabilise the country.

    He said: “They were trained in neigbhbouring countries by those people who were saying we are not going to exist by 2015. What they don’t know is that God has united this country, not language, not religion because in a family there is Muslim, there is Christian, even atheist.”

    Kaduna State Governor Mukthar Ramalan Yero said: “We have allowed issues of differences in creed to drag us down.”

    He said many Nigerians see themselves first as members of an ethnic group before being indigenes of their states and even more importantly as citizens of Nigeria, adding that “there is no doubt that if we had utilised our diversity positively, we will not have faced most of the challenges that we presently struggle to contain.”

     

  • Appeal Court dismisses certificate forgery case against Suswam

    The Court of Appeal sitting in Makurdi yesterday dismissed an appeal brought against Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam by a former governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Terver Kakih.

    Kakih had sued Governor Suswam to a Federal High Court sitting in Makurdi, seeking, among others, a declaration that Suswam was not qualified to contest the 2011 governorship election; that Governor Suswam supplied false information in Form CF001 to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC); and that he (Kakih) be declared the governorship candidate of the PDP and by extension the governor-elect of Benue State on the platform of the PDP.

    In a judgment by Justice John Inyang Okoro, leading four other justices, the appellate court unanimously dismissed Kakih’s case anchored on 10 grounds of appeal and awarded N50,000 cost in favour of the PDP and Governor Suswam.

    However, the Federal High Court presided over by Justice Marcel Awokulehin on July 11, 2012 ruled that it had no jurisdiction to entertain Kakik’s case on the basis of PDP v Timpreye Silva’s case earlier decided by the Supreme Court. The court held that even if it had jurisdiction, Kakik did not prove his case as required by law.

    Before dismissing the appeal, the court considered notice of preliminary objection filed by Jibrin Samuel Okutepa, SAN, counsel to the PDP and Governor Suswam.

    In the preliminary objection, Suswam, through his counsel argued that the notice and grounds of appeal were in breach of the rules of the Court of Appeal and that the notice and grounds of appeal were not in respect of the judgment of the Federal High Court; that ground four of the notice and ground of appeal was in relation to an interlocutory decision.

    The Court of Appeal agreed with the preliminary objection raised by Suswam’s counsel and accordingly dismissed the appeal.

    Delivering judgment, Justice Okoro said court documents were serious documents that should not be left in the hands of a carpenter to prepare and read, adding that when objection was raised as to the fact that notice and the grounds of appeal were against the decision of the Federal High Court delivered on July 11, 2011 instead of 2012, counsel to the appellant could not respond, and queried: “What did he expect us to do?”

    On the merit of the case, Justice Okoro resolved the three issues in the appeal against the appellant, declaring that Governor Suswam was qualified to contest the 2011 elections; that the governorship primaries of the PDP in 2011 were conducted in accordance with the PDP electoral guidelines and the party’s constitution; and that the appellant was wrong to have taken his case to the Federal High Court, which lacked jurisdiction to entertain the case, thus upholding the decision of Justice Awokulehin of the Federal High Court Makurdi made on July 11, 2012.

    Reacting to the judgment, Governor Suswam said he had been vindicated and his accusers had been exposed as blackmailers desperate to dent his hard-earned reputation.

     

  • Court dismisses appeal against Suswam

    Court dismisses appeal against Suswam

    The Court of Appeal sitting in Makurdi on Tuesday dismissed the appeal filed by the defeated Peoples Democratic Party gubernatorial aspirant, Terver Khaki, against Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Khaki dragged the governor to court claiming that the primaries were not properly conducted and alleged that Suswam was not educationally qualified to contest the election.

    He alleged that the governor forged his secondary school certificate and described the conduct of the primaries as “a charade and stage managed.”

    The Federal High Court in Makurdi in 2012 gave judgment in favour of the governor, in which Justice Marcel Awokulehin, held that the case was a pre-election matter and a party’s affair.

    Dissatisfied with the judgment of the court, Khaki went on appeal.

    At the appellate court, Counsel to Suswam, Mr. Jibril Okutepa, filed a preliminary objection, arguing that the appeal was incompetent and should be struck out.

    The Counsel to the appellant, Mr. Jackson Kargbo, said that the primaries were not conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Electoral Act and the PDP Constitution.

    He alleged that his client was not given a level playing field to contest the primaries.

    Kargbo told the court that all evidence pointed to the fact that the primaries were conducted “to fulfill all righteousness and concede victory to his client’s opponent.”

    After hearing both sides in the matter, a five-man panel presided over by Justice Jafa’ru Mika’ilu, reserved the judgment for March 5.

    Delivering the judgment, Justice John Okoro, who read the judgment on behalf of the panel, said that the notice of appeal by the appellant was against a non-existent judgment.

    Okoro also pointed out that the appellant had testified under cross-examination by counsel to the first and fourth respondents that he did not attach his certificate to the nomination form as well as the governor did not attach his own.

    The judge wondered why the appellant, who demanded that his opponent was supposed to have attached his certificate to the form he filled, did not attach his own certificate to the form.

     

  • Suswam, Gemade battle for Senate

    Suswam, Gemade battle for Senate

    The die is cast between Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam and the former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national chairman, Senator Barnabas Gemade. The duo are the leading senatorial aspirants in the Benue Northeast District. Correspondent UJA EMMANUEL writes on the preparations for the contest.

     

    The stage is set for the senatorial election in Benue Northeast Senatorial District. Heavyweight politicians are on the track. However, it is believed that the contest is between Governor Gabriel Suswan and Chief Barnabas Gemade.

    Since 1999, the zone has been a hot battleground. The voters are politically conscious. The leaders also know their onions. The districh has produced five senators. They are Professor David Iornem Professor Iyorwuse Hagher, Professor Daniel Saaor, Col. Joseph Akaagerger (rtd), and Chief Gemade.

    What makes the forthcoming primaries interesting is that the governor and former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national chairman are locking horns.

    Recently, Gemade has declared that his second term ambition is non-negotiable. However, Suswan’s foot soldiers are working hard to turn the tide against Gemade. Some PDP chieftains led by a former member of the House of Assembly ,Hon Atoza Hidam,have endorsed the governor for the slot. They said he is the right person to succeed Gemade, who they said, should be prepared to play fatherly roles in the zone in post-2015.

    Since Hidan, who is from Sankera political bloc, started the pro-Suswan campaign, other leaders have joined him. The rank of campaigners is swelling by the day. Hon. Ugba Uye and Dr. Shande have also b een mobilising support for the governor in the zone. They are convinced that Suswan should not be idle, following the expiration of his tenure.

    According to the PDP elders, age is still on the side of the governor, who had represented Sankara Constituency in the House of Representatives between 1999 and 2007. They said that the push for generational shift favours Suswan to assume leadership role in the district.

    The elders said they were impressed by the performance of the former federal legislator and governor, adding that that weight of experience would better be put to used in the Senate in 2015.

    Shortly Suswam was endorsed, Gemade,addressed a press conference in Abuja, describing leader of the PDP elders ,Hon. Hidan,who is his in-law, as a mischievous element .

    He objected to the endorsement on two grounds. Gemade said 2015 is still two years away, stressing that the governor’s attention was being diverted. He also said that, by 2015, the senatorial seat will not be vacant.

    However, Gemade’s remarks have led to the intensification of the pro-Suswan campaigns. A group of former local government chairmen led by Hon Ayom Mar decided to inaugurate a campaign team team for the governor. They also unfolded plans to set up a campaign office. The group has coordinators and patrons in each of the seven local government areas that make up the zone.

    Governor Suswam is said to be excited by the activities of the group, although he has not declared his senatorial ambition. It is also not clear whether he is indirectly funding the campaigns. However, he has not disowned the campaign groups.

    Observers contend that the governor may not have an easy ride. Senator Gemade has openly declared that he will seek re-election. The former national chairman has his supporters, who are fiercely loyal to him. Speaking with newsmen, the former Secretary of Works in the Interim National Government said the people of the zone will renew his mandate in 2015, in recognition of his achievements in the Senate.

    Since Suswam joined politics in 1999, he has not lost any election. This has earn him the nickname “ Civilian General”.

    Addressing the people of Tarka local government area at a political rally last year, Suswam said, if he set his eyes on any thing, he would work hard to get it. The question is: will Suswam dislodge Gemade?

    Ironically, the governor was instrumental to the victory of Gemade at the primaries and general elections. Eyes were on his opponent, Dr. Mathias Byuan, before the shadow poll. But Suswam contacted the Presidency and the the tide changed in his favour. In 2007, it was a different ball game. The former PDP chairman was defeated by Akaagerger. But in 2011, he triuphed over the retired soldier because of the support given to him by the governor.

    Gemade is the Nom Iyange-Tiv(Rising Star of Tiv). The title was given to him by the paramount ruler, the Tor Tiv.

    In 2015, the battle will be between the “ Civilian General” and ‘The Rising Star’.

     

  • Boko Haram wants me dead, says Suswam

    Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam has added a religious tone to last Saturday’s death of Kaduna State Governor Patrick Yakowa.

    Although the governor was not categorical on the involvement of the dreaded Boko Haram sect in Yakowa’s death, he said it was frightening that two of the four Christian governors in the 19 northern states have met tragedies in quick succession.

    Suswam spoke at the NKST Church, High Level, Makurdi, the state capital.

    The governor said he had security reports, which indicated that the Boko Haram sect might attack him soon.

    He urged Christians to pray for his safety and his family.

    Suswam said: “Going by security reports I receive daily, it’s clear that I may be attacked any day, anywhere, anytime. This is the reason I called on Christians to pray for me and my family.”

    The governor noted that the plane crash in which Yakowa died was a worry to northern Christian.

    He said the incident resembled the crash involving Taraba State Governor Danbaba Suntai, who is on receiving treatment in a German hospital.

    Suswam said: “Suntia’s condition was pathetically critical.”

    The governor was referring to the Taraba governor’s condition when he visited him in Germany.

    He said with Yakowa’s death and Suntai’s condition almost becoming hopeless, only two Christian governors are left in the North’s 19 states.

    Suswam urged Christians not to be carried away by the social aspect of the Yuletide but to pray to God for their leaders.

    The governor condoled with the government and people of Kaduna State over Yakowa’s death.

    He described the late governor as a bridge builder, adding that he has done his best to bring peace to his state.

    Suswam also described the late General Andrew Azazi, the former National Security Adviser (NSA), as an officer and a gentle man who served the country diligently in different capacities.

    Gen. Azazi died in the military helicopter with Yakowa.

    He prayed God to give the families the fortitude to bear the losses.