The administration of Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State has concluded plans to present Chevrolet as official cars to over 80 traditional rulers in the state.

The cars are estimate to cost a whopping N2 billion, as, according to sources, each costs N2.5 million.

This is amid the global economic meltdown, which made the state government not to implement the harmonised Teachers Salary Scale (TSS).

But Alliance of Political Parties, Enugu State (APPES) has noted with dismay, the recent flagrant disregard of the directives of the House of Assembly by the governor, threatening to unveil to the public, all his not-too-good practices which might make him unfit as a candidate for 2011.

Sunday Independent findings also revealed that the gifts might be the governor's way of buying support of the royal fathers for his rumoured second term ambition, which got the endorsement of Enugu State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) last Friday.

The car largesse for the royal fathers would bring the total number of cars of various brands already bought within two years by the Chime administration to over 3,000 since it assumed office on May 29, 2007.

Those who had benefited from the car largesse before now are about 60 political appointees, including Secretary to State Government (SSG), commissioners, special assistants and advisers to the governor, the 17 local government chairmen and their deputies, 57 development area administrators, 260 councillors, permanent secretaries, judges and magistrates.

Last December, formers governors of the state including Chief Jim Nwobodo, Chief Christian Onoh, and Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, got SUV jeeps worth over N15 million each from the governor.

However, it was learnt that these cars are not free-of-charge as deductions are made from salaries of the beneficiaries on a monthly basis over an agreed period to offset the cost of the cars.

Some traditional rulers are, however, not comfortable with this arrangement against the backdrop of hike in the price of the said Chevrolet cars, from N2 million to N2.5 million each.

The aggrieved traditional rulers, who pleaded anonymity, also contended that the state government did not give them a choice in handling the issue of the official vehicles, but rather imposed the Chevrolet brand on them.

"He (governor) should know that we are not school boys and we are not councillors. We thank him for considering us worthy to own official cars, though some of us have jeeps. It shows that he has respect for elders, but he ought to have given us the privilege to choose the brand of car we want. That is our argument," the source said.

It was further added that if the governor insists that it should be Chevrolet and nothing more, then he should not make the cars compulsory to the traditional rulers.

But reacting to the development, Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Governor, Dan Nwome, said the car was being presented to the traditional rulers to raise their status, adding that the issue of choice should not arise in anyway.

"I don't understand what you mean by choice here. The government wants to raise status of the traditional rulers and that is why we have plans to present the cars to them. So, what has choice got to do with this? The cars are purely status cars," Nwome said.

If APPES makes good its threat, Chime may become a possible candidate for prosecution by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

According to a statement signed by APPES spokesperson, James Nweke, the flagrant disregard of the directives of the House of Assembly by the governor is in conflict with his government's claim to treading the path of the rule of law and due process.

Nweke recalled that the House had recommended to the governor the suspension of the Commissioner for Transport, Luke Mammelu, for gross misconduct, which the governor ignored.

He said further: "On February 3, 2009, the House unambiguously mandated Governor Chime to suspend, with immediate effect, the Commissioner of Local Government Matters, Prof. Frank Asogwa, following allegations that each of the 17 local government chairmen remitted N100,000 to him monthly from the council funds for the past 18 months totalling N30.6 million.

"He (Asogwa) was also accused of receiving a Toyota Hilux van from the chairmen to stifle the befitting allocations to the Development Councils, blackmail of House members among others," he stated.

According to Nweke, Asogwa has, despite the sanctions, been performing his official duties, ostensibly shielded by the governor, which raises questions as to whether the Ministry was not like in the past administration, a conduit by which the governor's office illegally deducted fund from local government allocations.

Expressing fears that there could be more to it than meets the eye, he said if there was nothing amiss, the governor, with his eyes wide open, has no cause to embark on such an impeachable offence by engaging the House in muscle-flexing.

To buttress the allegation of corruption made by APPES against the governor, Nweke said the Enugu State Government awarded a contract in 2008 for installation of street lights in Enugu metropolis to one Kannel Nigeria Limited for N600 million, which was paid upfront and nothing tangible was recorded in the execution of the contract for the past one year.

"Payment of the contract sum upfront for a job not done clearly speaks volume of Governor Chime's belief and commitment to due process. Meanwhile, the names of the directors of the company will soon be made public and, in due course, all the relevant documents germane to this fraudulent contract would be made available to EFCC for proper action.

Source: http://www.independentngonline.com/news/tfpg/article02

What is this country turning into. In the midst of dwindling financial crisis, low government revenue to execute projects projects that will keep the country on track. Infrastructure, education, security, energy continue to deteriorate each day. These people continue to spend recklessly, endangering the value and the future of our upcoming citizen. How do you explain this reckless spending? What kind of Job is N2Billion spending on cars for monarchs going to provide? How do we stop, curtail or control all these stupid and frivolous spending habbit of all corrupt animals called governors/government?

on igwe,??they don,t have kings.

Enugu refutes N2b car claims

THE Enugu government has denied the report that it plans to buy official cars for 80 traditional rulers in the state at the cost of N2 billion.

In a statement, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Dan Nwomeh, said the report published in a national newspaper (not The Guardian), was "a calculated attempt to cause mischief" and incite the good citizens of the state against the government.

Nwomeh wrote: "The report had claimed that the 80 cars cost a princely sum of N2 billion, with the price of each of them put at N2.5 million. Were the reporter not in a hurry to pin the stigma of financial recklessness on the state governor, he would have known that 80 cars, at a cost of N2.5 million each, amount to N200 million".

Nwomeh expressed displeasure that his own reaction to the story was "not fully" reflected in the piece.

He said even though he admitted that the government was liaising with the state Traditional Rulers' Council on possible ways of raising the status of the monarchs, the issue of car loan was still being considered while no particular brand of car had even been discussed.

Nigerian religious and traditional monarchs are among the most corrupt and insensitive set of people in nigeria.
Nigeria may never have peace and progressive grassroots development if these opportunists are still allowed to operate as monarchs.

As for chime, I guess he's trying to bribe his way into second term in office.