Senator Gabriel Suswam
The former governor of Benue State and currently the Senator representing Benue North East Senatorial District, Senator Gabriel Suswam, has joined the long list of well-meaning Nigerians that are kicking against the executive Water Resources Bill. He said the Bill would-be dead-on arrival.
Suswam while describing the bill as anti-people maintained that it was capable of causing confusion in the country and as such the National Assembly would reject the bill in totality. Suswam spoke yesterday at Katsina-Ala Town, Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of the state, during the official inauguration and inspection of projects by Governor Samuel Ortom.
Suswam told the Benue people that the bill was still a rumour in the National Assembly assuring that it would not see the light of the day when presented to them. “The National Assembly will reject the Water Resources Bill in totality and in whatever form it comes. It is anti-people; it is unacceptable, and we will not accept it because it is not in the interest of the people.
“You have no reason to be afraid. There is no bill like that and as far as I am concerned, it is still a rumour. So, let us not worry about what does not exist.” Suswam further vowed that “they cannot sit down as representatives of the people and accept that the federal government should come and take over the waters of our state.”
He argued that the Land Use Act of 1978 mainly states that all land belongs to the state government alone saying to introduce such a bill would require an amendment of the constitution. “The constitution has not been amended so the bill is dead on arrival.”
He urged the Benue people to remain resolute in support of the Governor Samuel Ortom-led government saying they must not repeat the fundamental mistake they made in 2015 but that they support him and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state in 2023 and beyond.
