Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, yesterday commended
operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for
investigating the Speaker and other members of the state House of Assembly for
allegedly misappropriating N750 million meant for purchase of official cars.
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| Gov Samuel Ortom |
The governor said his government would not condone any act
of criminality or defend anyone who had a hand in fraud. Recall that the Speaker
of Benue State House of Assembly, Terkinbi Ikange; his deputy, James Ikefe; the
Majority Leader, Benjamin Adanyi; Deputy Majority Leader, Nick Eworo; the
Minority Leader, Sule Audu and 10 other members were arrested and detained on
Monday in Abuja by the EFCC.
It was gathered that though they were let off the hook via
bail on Wednesday evening after spending three days in detention, another seven
members had been summoned by Commission to appear for questioning today
(Friday). Answering questions from State House Correspondents after a meeting
with President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential Villa, Abuja, Governor
Ortom said in a matter of corruption, no one would be spared. Ortom also vowed
to recover N107 billion looted from the state treasury by the government of
Governor Gabriel Suswam. He said: “Yes it is a good thing, it is part of the
process. They are under investigation by the EFCC. From day one I brought up a
slogan that ‘if you chop money, money will chop you. “We have to be careful and
I have sent signals to all that nobody is above the law. If you do wrong, you
will go your own way. As far as I’m concerned, they are under investigation.
Let’s see the outcome we would have. As far as I’m concerned, my government
will not shield anybody who is corrupt and who is found wanting. From myself as
governor and every other lieutenant, we are opened to scrutiny.”
The governor however regretted that some people were
peddling rumours of cash transfers against his government. “There is freedom of
information bill and people are allowed to get information from these sources.
The only thing is that there is no point telling lies and peddling falsehood
against leaders. Like I heard somebody said we transferred 2.4 billion dollars
to an account. Which account, where is the money? Money that I don’t have to do
local government election, or to pay salaries. If I have it wont I pay them? So
it is allowed. “EFCC is an agency that is charged to investigate and where
somebody is found culpable you prosecute. So they are free to do their job in
Benue State. I have given them free hand: ICPC, EFCC, and even for me I am
doing independent prosecution of those who are corrupt,” he said. He stated
that already, some indicted persons had agreed to return N355 million to the
state government. He said:
“The justice Kpojume
commission came out with a report that N107 billion should be retrieved from 52
persons including the former governor and I am leaving no stones unturned to
ensure that we recover this money because we need it for the development of
Benue state. “Already someone who was indicted has already offered to refund
N355 million which we gave the approval in council on Wednesday. With that we are not interested
in prosecution. The exco exonerated him, once he pays in the money, he has his
clean bill.”
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