Outgoing Benue Governor, Suswam donates 8 SUVs to incoming governor, wife

The outgoing governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam, on Thursday donated eight new Toyota Prado Sports Utility Vehicles to the state governor-elect, Samuel Ortom, his deputy, Benson Aboun, and their wives.

He made the donation in Makurdi, the state capital.

The governor said the donation was part of the move by the outgoing administration to ensure peaceful transition to the new one on May 29.

Mr. Ortom of the All Progressives Congress had defeated the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Terhemen Tarzoor, in the April 11 election.

He polled a total of 422,932 votes to defeat the PDP candidate who had 313,878 votes.

Mr. Suswam is believed to have had propped up Mr. Tarzoor, a former Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly.

The outgoing governor also declared support for former Governor George Akume in his bid to become the Senate president.

Mr. Akume, who is also the senate minority leader, was the governor of Benue State between 1999 and 2007. He represents Benue North East Senatorial District.

“My way of playing politics is all encompassing and I am fully in support of Akume to emerge as the Senate President for the 8th Assembly since he is the only person from Benue vying for that position, which we understand has been zoned to the North Central,” Mr. Suswam said.

There are indications that the former governor fell out with Mr. Suswam shortly after the latter assumed office.

He asked journalists to give support to the incoming APC administration, which will be headed by Mr. Ortom.

“I want you people (journalists) to extend the same support and cooperation our government enjoyed to the incoming administration of APC in the interest of the nation,” the outgoing governor, who is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, said.

Mr. Akume is a frontrunner in the race for the senate presidency. He was first elected into the Senate in 2007 and will returning to the upper legislative chamber of the third time in June.

If the APC leadership finally zones the position to the North Central, the Senate Minority Leader will square it up with a former governor of Kwara State, Bukola Saraki.

If elected, Mr, Akume will be the fourth senate president from Benue State. The others are Iyorchia Ayu (1992-1993), Ameh Ebute (1993), incumbent, David Mark (2007-2015).