By Amos Aar
THE two transition committees set up by both the outgoing and incoming administrations in Benue State to facilitate a smooth handover of power on May 29, 2023, are currently in deep disagreement in the modalities for the process.
The signs of disagreement emerged following a statement issued by the transition committee of the governor-elect, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, expressing worry that Ortom’s transition committee was yet to submit handover notes to it.
In the statement dated May 2, 2023, signed by the chairman of the Alia transition committee, Mr Mike Iordye, and secretary, Dan Ashiekaa, the incoming administration alleged that Ortom’s committee, which was constituted on March 22, 2023 and was given only three weeks within which to complete its assignment, was yet to brief it.
According to the Alia transition committee, the Ortom transition committee, by the timeline given to it, should have concluded its assignment on April 15, 2023, but however requested and was given an additional one week during an inaugural meeting of the joint committee for Ministries, Departments & Agencies (MDAs).
“Incidentally, at our joint meeting with the outgoing administration’s team on the 27th April, 2023, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) informed us of the inability to get the reports ready but that he will arrange for MDAs to brief us in one week’s time on his return from his trip abroad. This lackadaisical attention to a serious matter like this calls for concern, as this information is necessary to enable our smooth takeoff on the 29th May, 2023″, the statement reads partly.
Alia’s committee therefore demanded as a matter of urgency, the release of a comprehensive handover note covering the period of the outgoing administration from 2015–2023 for all MDAs including the debt profile and the state of finances of the state.
Other demands include that Ortom’s committee should organise an inspection tour of all ongoing projects, ongoing negotiations that are not yet frozen as contract, provide an updated employee list for State & local governments and payroll for the month of November 2022, a comprehensive list of IDPs and their respective camps, pension payroll for the month of February 2020 for the state pensioners and that of the local governments as well as any other vital information that may be useful to the incoming administration.
However, in his reaction, Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Anthony Ijohor, who is the chairman of the outgoing administration’s transition committee, said in a press release on Wednesday that they will not submit the handover notes until May 29, 2023, pointing out that “Benue does not have a parallel government.”
Prof. Ijohor argued that the joint committee only agreed at its inaugural meeting on April 27 that MDAs will brief the committee and not to submit handover notes.
He added that the demand by Alia’s committee was unconstitutional as Ortom remains Benue’s governor until May 29 and he will handover to the governor-elect rather than his transition committee.
“It must be stated in unequivocal terms that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria does not provide for a parallel government in any state. Governor Samuel Ortom remains the Governor of Benue State till May 29, 2023, and he is expected to handover to the Governor-elect and not a transition committee. The demand made by the team of the Governor-elect is therefore unconstitutional and an aberration.
“The Benue State Transition Committee already held its inaugural meeting where it was agreed that Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies will subsequently brief the Committee.
“We expect the team of the incoming Governor to cooperate with the outgoing administration for a smooth transition of power, instead of going to the press to raise unfounded alarms”, Prof Ijohor said in the statement.
