The controversy surrounding former Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom's 23 cars has brought to light a long-standing scandal of state governors stripping Nigerian states of assets as they leave office. Ortom revealed that the vehicles were allocated to him and other members of his administration through the State Executive Council, SEC, after they had been used for more than four years. This has raised questions about the abuse of power by state governors.
According to columnist Dele Sobowale, no military Governor had up to 23 cars assigned to the Governor's office or Residence before 1999. In contrast, since 1999, a civilian Governor with only 23 cars in the office alone would be regarded as extremely prudent, with most having 50 or more. Ortom's 23 cars and the dispute surrounding them have exposed one of the best-kept scandals in Nigerian history.
Ortom's claim that the vehicles were allocated to him "and other members of his administration" suggests that more cars than 23 were driven home by his government officials. It is possible that over 100 cars were taken away as parting gifts, with Ortom's approval. The decision to allocate the cars to Ortom and others was made by the SEC, which comprises the Governor, the Deputy Governor, the Secretary to the State Government, and Commissioners.
The SEC is not an autonomous body, and its decisions are largely influenced by the Governor. Ortom's defence for taking the cars has been described as the worst defence for an assault on public funds ever uttered by a former official. The incident has provided a window into the minds of top government officials everywhere, irrespective of political party affiliation.
The issue of the cars has also raised questions about the age of the vehicles and their value. Ortom claimed that the vehicles were over four years old, but many Nigerians, including those driving corporate official cars, are driving vehicles more than five years old. The market value of the cars taken away by Ortom and his administration would have fetched almost five times whatever they paid for them.
Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia has retrieved the 23 cars taken away by Ortom, but it is unclear whether other cars allocated by Ortom's SEC were also seized. Alia's actions have been seen as a move to correct the wrongdoing of the past administration, but some have expressed concerns that the measure may appear personal and discriminatory.
The incident has also raised concerns about the integrity of Governor Alia, who swore to uphold the democracy and constitution of Nigeria. By blocking Peter Obi from moving freely about in Benue State, Alia betrayed the democracy and constitution he swore to uphold, failing the integrity test and the test of advanced education.
Key points
- State governors in Nigeria routinely strip their states of assets as they leave office, rendering them poorer than they should be.
- The controversy surrounding Ortom's 23 cars has exposed a long-standing scandal of state governors misusing public funds.
- Governor Alia's actions have raised concerns about his integrity and commitment to upholding democracy and the constitution.
