Over 200 Benue Councillors, Deputy Chairmen, Still Trek, Ride Okada To Work

Nearly two years after they were elected and sworn into office, over 200 councillors and 19 deputy chairmen across Benue State’s 23 local government areas are still without official vehicles or motorcycles, forcing about 95 per cent of the affected officials to trek or use commercial motorcycles, popularly known as Okada, to work.

Benue State has 276 councillors representing 276 wards, 23 deputy chairmen and 23 local government chairmen.

Investigations by LEADERSHIP Weekend revealed that only four of the 23 deputy chairmen had been provided with official vehicles by their respective council chairmen, while some of those without official mobility have had to rely on their personal vehicles to perform their duties.

The 23 local government chairmen, their deputies and the 276 councillors were elected on October 5, 2024, during elections conducted by the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC). They were sworn into office by Governor Hyacinth Alia on October 7, 2024.

For many of the councillors, the absence of official mobility has made it difficult to effectively discharge their responsibilities at the grassroots.

One of the councillors, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he would not have accepted the position had he known the difficulties that came with the office.

“If I know it would be like this, I won’t accept to represent my people at the ward level because, as things stand, I can’t do anything for them. I only receive the little salary and nothing more. I don’t have a vehicle, no motorcycle for us councillors in this local government and other councils,” he said.

However, some local government chairmen have started providing motorcycles and vehicles to their deputies and councillors.

In Guma Local Government Area, the council chairman and former chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Benue State chapter, Orwough Maurice, provided an official vehicle for his deputy and distributed 10 motorcycles to councillors in July 2026.

Orwough announced the development in a Facebook post on July 7, 2026, stating, “I presented official car to the deputy Chairman of Guma Local government council, at same time I gifted 10 motorcycles to Hon councillors.”

Similarly, the chairman of Buruku Local Government Area, Raymond Aondoakura Zege, recently distributed 18 motorcycles to councillors and an official vehicle to his deputy to facilitate their movement.

The distribution of motorcycles to councillors has, however, generated mixed reactions among residents.

A Benue Facebook user, Pinga Festus, questioned whether the development represented progress for the state.

“In 1999, motorcycles were distributed to teachers to support education and improve their mobility. In 2026, motorcycles are being distributed to councillors. Benue State, my state. Are we moving forward or backward?” he asked.

Speaking with LEADERSHIP Weekend by telephone, the chairman of Gwer West Local Government Area, Ormin Victor Torsar, confirmed that his deputy chairman and council secretary were yet to receive official mobility, although motorcycles had already been provided to councillors.

“We are the second local government that issues mobility to councillors. We will still reach the Deputy Chairman and the Secretary. But the councillors have been served with mobility like two months back.

“So, in my case, that is the level I have gone. One motorcycle costs N1.8 million,” he said.

Efforts to obtain the reaction of the chairman of Kwande Local Government Area and ALGON chairman in Benue State, Vitalis Neji, on the continued lack of official mobility for councillors and deputy chairmen were unsuccessful.

Calls placed to his telephone were neither answered nor returned.

A local government chairman, who spoke on condition of anonymity, attributed the situation to inadequate monthly allocations to the councils.

According to him, the funds available to the councils are insufficient to provide vehicles for deputy chairmen and legislative leaders while also executing projects and meeting other financial obligations.

“Only us know what we are going through in terms of finances,” he said.

The chairman called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to fully implement local government autonomy and ensure that allocations meant for local governments are paid directly into their respective bank accounts.

However, the financial constraints cited by the council chairman appear to contrast with the provisions of the Operational Guidelines for Elected Councils of Local Governments in Benue State, dated October 2024 and revised, obtained by LEADERSHIP Weekend.

The guidelines state that council chairmen and vice chairmen shall be provided with official quarters and one vehicle.

On the use of official vehicles, the document states, “The Chairman, the Vice Chairman and the Leader of the legislative council shall be entitled to the use of an official car.”

It further provides that, “owing to the exigencies of the official functions of the Secretary, the Chairman may assign an official vehicle to him for effective performance of his duties.”

The guidelines also state that all official vehicles remain the property of the local government, adding that claims for hired vehicles shall not be entertained.

Meanwhile, the Benue State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has commended three local government chairmen for providing mobility for their deputies, council secretaries, legislative leaders and councillors.

The party honoured Raymond Zege of Buruku, Timothy Nyiekula Adi of Gwer East and Matthew Ada Inalegwu of Okpokwu local government areas with letters of commendation.

According to a statement issued by the APC State Publicity Secretary, Benedict Yawe, the letters were presented to the three chairmen at the party’s state secretariat in Makurdi by the state chairman, Chief Benjamin Omale.

The party said it applauded the chairmen for providing official vehicles to their deputy chairmen, council secretaries, leaders of the legislative councils and other council appointees, as well as motorcycles and solar-powered lights to councillors in their respective local government areas.

The situation has highlighted a sharp disparity in the provision of official mobility across Benue’s 23 local government areas, while also raising questions about the implementation of the state’s operational guidelines governing the welfare and official tools of elected grassroots representatives.