By Alfred Olufemi
The Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi
Sule, on Tuesday, presented brand new
SUVs to 25 first-class traditional rulers
in the state, valued at over N800 million,
if purchased directly from the
manufacturer.

This expenditure is despite the fact that
local government workers in Nasarawa
are being paid modulated salaries and
some state workers are owed for two
months.

Workers ,who spoke with PREMIUM
TIMES, described the project as a
misplaced priority but the state
government said it was initiated by the
local governments.

The state government also refused to
say how much was spent to acquire the
vehicles and the source of the fund.
Exotic vehicles
Mr Sule presented the 25 brand new
Lexus SUVs to first class traditional
rulers in the state to mark his second
anniversary in office.

Presenting the keys of the vehicles to
the royal fathers at the Government
House in Lafia, the governor said the
vehicles are to ease the discharge of
their responsibilities, “considering the
vital role the royal fathers are playing in
the maintainance and sustenance of
security in the state.”

In his speech on the occasion, the
Chairman of the Association of Local
Government of Nigeria (ALGON) in
Nasarawa, Muazu Aminu, said the
project, which enjoyed the ‘express’
approval of the state government, was
conceived by relevant “stakeholders,”
including the local council chairmen and
the ministry of local government
development and chieftaincy affairs.

“This was an issue that started long
term ago — almost a year. It was
initiated and put together by the various
stakeholders in the state – that is the
commissioner and other bureaucrats in
the ministry of local government
development and chieftaincy affairs and
the 13 local government Council
chairmen.

“When this issue was agreed by all of
us, we took it under the honourable
commissioner to His Excellency and His
Excellency expressly gave his note and
blessings.

“It might interest all of us to know that
His Excellency never interfered in the
process for the procurement of these
vehicles. He specifically mentioned it
that there was no interest and luckily all
of us followed the clue and the result is
here for all of us to see,” Mr Aminu said.

All government officials, who spoke at
the event, including the governor, were
silent on the source of the money used
to procure the vehicles.

Nevertheless, Governor Sule promised
that the next batch of cars will be
distributed to the second class and third
class traditional rulers.

“Now, it goes back to other traditional
rulers, the second class and the third
class, we are going in that line. God is
with us. We are trying as much as
possible to ensure that this is the first
hurdle, the next hurdle is going to be our
second class and third class traditional
rulers to get their own,” he assured.

Cost of vehicles? Keep guessing –
Governor
On the cost of the vehicles, Mr Sule said
they got the best deals, noting that he
was not going to mention the amount
spent on each.

“Keep guessing,” he told the audience,
who cheered with another round of
applause.

But checks by this newspaper showed
that each of the Lexus LX 570 2020
model would cost nothing less than $86,
380 (excluding the shipping costs), if
purchased directly from the
manufacturing company, Lexus.

Using the N412/1 dollar exchange rate,
each would cost N35,588,560, which
implies that the 25 will be purchased for
N889,714,000 million.

When confronted with this estimate, the
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor,
Ibrahim Adra, disputed the figures,
saying the cars are not brand new ones.

He, however, kept mum when our
reporter showed him pictures of the
vehicles with leather coverings in the
interior.
Mr Adra later redirected our reporter to
the ALGON Chairman, Mr Aminu, who
declined comments when contacted.
“Good evening, please kindly direct your
inquiries to the appropriate quarters,” Mr
Aminu wrote via text.

‘Misplaced priority’
Several workers who spoke with this
newspaper who did not want their
names mentioned berated the decision
of the state government, accusing it of
neglecting the welfare of civil servants.

Two workers in Keana local government
area of the state told PREMIUM TIMES
that they got only a little above 70 per
cent of their salaries last month while
the government is still owing them for
two months.

“In December (2020) some people
received salaries while some of us are
yet to get ours,” one of the workers said.

According to him, no one knows
whether the fault is from the local
government area or the state
government.
“Instead of paying salaries, they are
buying cars for traditional rulers. In this
period? God will judge them,” another
worker said.

Also, a lecturer at the Nasarawa State
University, said he is still owed two
months salary. “They don’t pay salaries
regularly,” the don told our
correspondent.

Last May, local government workers in
Nasarawa embarked on a seven-day
warning strike in protest of the
inconsistency in salary payment.
Reacting to this, Mr Adra said the
governor gave the local government
authorities autonomy and cannot
answer for the chairmen on salary
payment.

Regarding the state of salary payment in
Nasarawa State University, the
governor’s spokesperson declined
comments.
The ALGON chairman also did not
respond to enquiries sent by PREMIUM
TIMES.



Commenting on the recent development,
a civil rights crusader, Obadiah Adei,
accused the Governor Sule-led
government of “gross unfaithfulness.”

“The recent purchase of SUVs Lexus
cars to traditional rulers in NASARAWA
STATE by this same man who said there
is no money in the state appears
worrisome and another explicit proof
that Sule is helpless and clueless. On
the issue bothering the citizens of the
state, a gesture he tagged as EXCEED
EXPECTATIONS of NASARAWA STATE
citizens , it is NOT only condemnable
but insultingly inconsequential,
demeaning, devaluing, denigrate and
places Nasarawa state with at the
disadvantaged.

“This move by the Governor and the
lame duck Speaker to defraud the local
government workers using their unpaid
salaries to campaign for his re-election
is facing a stringent disapproval of the
majority of the citizens and I hope the
governor will realise the plight of the
masses and address the issue swiftly.”
Another activist in the state, Jato
Ashwe, said the decision of the state
government was detrimental to the poor
Nasarawa indigenes.

“In the midst of economic hardship, my
governor is sharing cars worth millions
of naira to the already enriched
traditional rulers. It’s high time we
stopped impressing the rich class at the
detriment of the poor Nasarawa state
indigenes, it’s unfair your excellency.
This is a misplacement of priority.

Exotic cars given to traditional rulers.
https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/462873-despite-owing-workers-nasarawa-govt-gifts-traditional-rulers-over-n800-million-cars.html

G

THAT MY FRIEND IS CALLED CONSOLIDATION OF POWER.

WICKEDNESS EVERYWHERE.
BUHARI IS WICKED

Someone that Boko Haram is controlling parts of his state ....can't have the mind or confidence to do stiffs like this .... except he / she is comfortable with Boko Haram

And you know what that means

What do most governors in northern Nigeria do apart from Payment of ransom to Bandits, Breaking Ramadan fast, making silly comments to support killer herdsmen and terrorists, building of mosque & appointing/ decorating traditional rulers? There is one midget amongst them who has updated his CV to sacking of civil servants and declaring labour leaders wanted.

Bandit Allowance

They are just telling you all; we don't care about the masses....let them go and die!

We need an uproar more fierce than endsars, so as to be able to force these thieves out of office

Yet the materistic traditional ruler will never reject such offer in protest and solidarity with the downtrodden masses.The royal father have have been monitized by government @ all strata of leadership. Too bad.

Sweet government...

This is ridiculous. How will nigeria move forward like this. Mynd44

Mikecold:
Bandit Allowance

sad