By Onjef Okidu
Former Kenyan President, Raila Odinga’s hilarious Nigerian corruption story which has stubbornly refused to depart from the global viral space aptly depicts the incredible depth of Nigerian political corruption, and indeed the ridiculous state of its Local Government Councils (LGs). To use the words of Raila Odinga, “hundred percent” of the monies and resources accruing to the LGs are despicably and brazenly diverted and cornered. Consequently, LGs in the country are practically dead. As other states, Benue LGs have been overgrown by grave-weeds, taken over by ghost workers, and perfectly secured by sextons. The LGs’ inhabitants on the other hand are merely undergoing funeral obsequies. Despite this very obvious, severe and thoroughly embarrsing situation, some Benue “leaders” are still advancing the traditional atrocious politics as usual.
For the benefit of hindsight, Governor Alia’s pragmatism came to play with his unprecedented pry into the affairs of the LGs as soon as he took over the mantle of leadership of the state which channel was advertently or inadvertently opened by the LGs chairmen themselves. At the tail end of the former Governor Samuel Ortom’s administration, the chairmen had gone to court to restrain the in-coming Alia government from “tampering” with them which clearly demonstrated that something was fundamentally wrong – a clear interpretation of the analogy of the evil man running when nobody is pursuing him. The Governor’s closer look at the books of the LGs made him to turn to the state assembly for the resolution of some identified critical gaps - an act many have observed hold the potentials of positively redirecting the course of LGs governance in the state.
The Confirmation of critical gaps and lapses by the state assembly in the LGs’ administration informed the need to suspend the LG chairmen to pave way for further investigation and action – a process that is still ongoing. To bridge the void, Governor Alia in his wisdom recently appointed presumably reliable caretaker committees to man the LGs. However, on December 1, 2023, Senate Minority leader, Senator Abba Moro, who is also from same state desperately moved a motion on the floor of the senate against the Governor’s actions, calling for a cut-off of federal funds to the LGs. The core arguments marshalled by the Senator to drive his motion is the erosion of democracy and the Nigerian constitution.
For deep thinkers, it was pretty clear that Senator Moro’s motion was purely driven by political animus. For as far as the state of the nation is concerned, he cannot pretend not to know that LGs in Benue State as in other parts of the country have been murdered by “hundred percent” political corruption, and funeral rites have been performed for democracy, constitutionality and rule of law since 1999. Hence, it is absolutely ludicrous, as it were, to argue for democracy, constitution and rule of law at the LG level in Nigeria today. In doing so, political leaders must first resurrect the LGs – moreso that as the Latin maxim has succinctly explained, “you cannot build something on nothing and expect it to stand.” It will collapse!
Invariably, beyond the obvious political animus, and the clear weaponisation of the Senate to undermine the APC government in Benue, Senator Abba Moro’s motion starkly highlighted the entrenched stinking rot of the Nigerian political corruption, and graphically portray him as a man with a clenched fist-in-gown aimed at his own maxilla rather than the mandible of his opponent – precisely because, Benue State has to exist first before Abba Moro can be Senator. Democracy is not in any way synonymous with “hundred percent” corruption. In fact, democracy abhors corruption. No sane or credible leader would want to preside over ghost entities such as the Benue LGs Governor Alia inherited. And the Nigerian constitution does not in any way encourage an iota of corruption talk more of “hundred percent.”
Franlky, since 1999, when democracy prodigally returned to Nigeria, Political corruption has been fundamentally undermining its sterling values and essential principles. Consequently, the phenomenon has fundamentally usurped the authority of the Nigerian constitution, and logically challenged the legitimacy of democracy in the country. Actually, the tragedies of abject poverty, diseases, illiteracy and hunger raging in Benue State have to be set against Senator Abba Moro’s motion. Reduced to essentials, the pitiable Benue socio-economic circumstance does not call for sustained political and conventional grafts in the state’s LGs’ ecosystem. For the heart of the matter is that, the corrupt status of Benue LGs have been hitherto deemed normal, even by past chairmen of the LGs, among whom Abba Moro himself starkly stood out.
Although, Governor Alia himself, has taken some fundamentally wrong steps such as the historically unprecedented suppression of the Idoma ethnic group in political appointments and the conversion of his deputy ino an errand boy rather than a valuable partner, one cannot deny his pragmatic action this particular time aimed at resurrecting the state LGs. On the average, one hundred and sixty million naira goes to each local government in Benue State every month. But, the LGs are as dead as ever. The disposition of the Governor to come to grips with the despicable state of affairs in the LGs therefore represents a clear demonstration of Godly and moral expectations.
Two things are enormously encouraging in the midst of the present happenings relating to Benue LGs. The first is the degree of seemingly frank and honest appraisal of the situation of the LGs by the state Executive and Legislature. The other is the impressing determination of the state Executive and Legislature to sincerely commit to their resurrection. With these seemimgly impressive, thoughtful and accountable actions in Benue, maybe, one can say better days are ahead. The third tier of government in Nigeria today is an area crying for rejuvenation, if not revolution!!!
Fruitful New Year to y’all and families!
Dr Okidu writes from Ilorin.
He can be reached through:
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