Akume protecting his meal ticket at the expense of Benue people’s lives — Ortom
By Titus Atondu, Makurdi
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has disclosed that the outing of George Akume and other APC members in Abuja was nothing more than a massage on the ego of the Presidency to curry personal favours, as long as he and his group secure their meal tickets, Benue can go to hell as a media attack on Governor Ortom instantly attracts a package from the Villa
In a Press statement signed by Terver Akase, Chief Press Secretary and made available to Nigerian NewDirect, Ortom stated that he had earlier alerted Benue people and other Nigerians to expect the said press conference from the Minister which is one in a series of an organized smear campaign against Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom.
The Governor expected, Senator Akume and his group to respond to the issues of insecurity in the country which the Governor has repeatedly and rightly accused the Presidency of complicity.
He explained that Akume and his group must have been under immense pressure to hold the press conference and hurl vituperation against the Governor which they had to do to keep their jobs.
Ortom further explained that the leadership of APC in Benue, having lost grip of the party membership in the state with hundreds defecting to PDP every week, now see a window of opportunity to relaunch themselves into relevance.
He stated that as a two-term former Governor of Benue State, it is shocking that the minister is now calling for the declaration of state of emergency in the state to dismantle democratic structures.
He stated that it Is not contradictory that Akume faults Governor Ortom over his statements on the President’s handling of the security situation in the country but goes ahead to brand the Governor as a criminal and sponsor of militia.
He challenged the Minister to provide evidence to back his claim that the Governor is involved in corruption and sponsors militia.
The Governor, recalled that when the minister was Governor, he challenged the then President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo for not doing enough to end the Jukun/Tiv crisis on the border of Benue and Taraba Sttate and he is on record to have confronted President Obasanjo and said uncomplimentary things to the President, now he finds it convenient to give lectures on respect for hierarchy in government and age.
On the Minister’s call for a probe, Ortom stated that he have no objection as he was running a transparent administration and has nothing to hide.
Ortom also invited Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) to begin their probe from 1999 when the Minister was Governor and the N2 billion that went missing at the twilight of his administration is yet to be accounted for.
The Governor said that Akume’s utterances in 2019 are still fresh in the minds of Benue people when the state came under herdsmen attacks and hundreds were killed, he accused Benue people of killing themselves and the people responded to him by voting him out of the Senate which confirmed their anger towards him.
Ortom expected APC to hold the press conference in Benue to test their popularity among the people of the state.
