The boycott of the retreat organised for members of the State House of Assembly and the members of the state executive council at the Obudu Mountain Resort in Cross River State by the Benue State government therefore comes as a surprise to most watchers going by their antecedent. Not many would have believed that members of the House would dare to take a contrary view against the executive arm of government in the state.
One of the lawmakers who spoke on the condition of anonymity said the House took this action to compel the executive to provide money for constituency projects in the 2012 budget. The lawmakers, according to him were also protesting the poor implementation of last year’s budget and the governor’s refusal to drop non-performing commissioners from his cabinet as earlier requested by the House. The governor’s refusal to allow the House to probe the activities of the Benue State Board of Internal Revenue Service, BIRS, following its chairman’s claims that they have been generating N1 billion monthly but only remitted N1.6 billion as total internally generated revenue, IGR, for 2011 is another reason advanced by the lawmaker for boycotting the retreat. ““The House is pressing to investigate the activities of BIRS but it appears the government house has not sanctioned it,” he added. The House of Assembly also claims to be worried that the state governor has frustrated them from probing the local government accounts since 2007.
There was also an allegation that Governor Gabriel Suswam had declined to explain why the Makurdi International Market, which contract was awarded for over N1.7 billion, has been abandoned even when it was recently reviewed upward to N2.8 billion. “They also argued l the fact that the retreat was only another avenue for government to waste money which could have been channeled towards development projects.” Informed sources said about N200 million is spent yearly to organise the retreat at the Obudu Mountain Resort in Cross River State.
There were however, allegations that the lawmakers were demanding a Toyota Prado four wheel drive each, from the executive, which was not granted by the governor. This according to them would enable them perform their oversight functions properly. This was denied by George Okoh, press secretary to the speaker who described what transpired between it and the executive arm as a result of breakdown in communication. 
Surprisingly, members of the state assembly had collected allowances for the retreat, appeared at the retreat venue but failed to show up for breakfast in the morning. Except for the speaker, Hon. David Iorhemba, who pleaded to his colleagues to exercise patience, was the only member of the House present at the opening ceremony. The other legislators allegedly returned to Makurdi, the state capital. Dr. Cletus Akwaya, special adviser to the governor on media, who confirmed the request by the legislators, said the action of the legislators “was hasty, especially as they were yet to discuss the matter with the governor.... They are demanding for Toyota Prado car gifts for each legislator. The action of the legislators is inconsiderate. Budget is yet to be passed; so no serious procurement can be done now.”
This allegation did not go down well with the people of the state. The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC Benue State chapter, threatened to embark on industrial action if the state governor honours a supposed car gift to members of the House of Assembly.
Chief Godwin Ukpoju, a member of the board of trustees, BoT, of the All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, commended the governor for turning down the demand, describing it as one of the acts of corruption the country is complaining of. Ukpoju told this magazine that the action of the members: requesting for a four wheel drive, demonstrated their willingness to make themselves apron strings of the executive.  
Similarly, Samuel Enokela Ukwenya, a stalwart of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP equally expressed his disappointment at the conduct of the legislators and challenged them to tell the people what they are doing to better the lot of the state. He said their action has portrayed them as a group of selfish people who are only out to satisfy their selfish interest at the detriment of the people.
And for former commissioner of police, Lagos State, Alhaji Abubakar Tsavin in a text message to this magazine, described the conduct of the legislators as irresponsible, dishonourable and an act of cheap blackmail. “To claim allowances, attend and then walk out on the governor because he did not give each of them a Prado is irresponsible, disrespectful and tainted with constructive corruption,” Tsav frowned. He described them as selfish and greedy people who are only interested in serving their interests instead of that of the masses who voted for them, a situation he said that made them not able to pass a single bill since their inauguration last year.