by Stanley Azuakola

President Goodluck Jonathan has a new protégé. And he’s none other than the executive governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam.

Remember the days when as acting president, Goodluck Jonathan tried to exude sternness by shutting the door against ministers who reported late for Federal Executive Council meetings? Everyone hailed him then, and that was the beginning of the phrase: ‘a breath of fresh air’. Apparently, the ‘spirit’ of Jonathan is now risen upon Suswam.

The Benue governor locked out three members of the state’s Executive Council for arriving late to the council meeting. Those affected by the governor’s decision include the commissioner for Works and Transport, Mr. Benjamin Ashaver, commissioner for Youths and Sports, Mr. Aondowase Chia, and the head of Service, Mr. Mike Iordye.

The council members, obviously unaware of the fate that was to befall them, strolled into the council chambers after the meeting had commenced.  Gov. Suswam who was displeased by this, immediately ordered that the officials be shut out.

For some time, the governor has not been impressed by the lackadaisical attitudes of some of his aides and commissioners. He said recently at the flagging off of this year’s sale of fertilisers that he “will no longer tolerate nonsense from anyone again, after all am not seeking for any re-election”.

With this latest move, it appears that the governor is keeping his words.

The Information commissioner, Conrad Wegba, who was contacted on the matter by journalists, wasn’t forthcoming about the incident, claiming that he was not aware of it.