Benue State governor, Dr Samuel Ortom has vowed to prosecute the Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Geoerge Akume for accusing him of diverting funds belonging to the State.
The governor also frowned at Akume’s allegation that he was involved in killings in Benue, saying that he will prosecute George Akume in Court.
He described Akume and APC stakeholders’ briefing in Abuja on Monday where they made spurious allegation against him as unfortunate.
Ortom explained that he would not join issues with Senator Akume, but has right to put record straight over endless killings in Benue, noting everything that George Akume said against him were lies, greed, treachery against Benue people so that he can gain his meal ticket from his paymasters.
While expressing commitment to the people, he asked Akume to go ahead and prove allegations against him or risk prosecution.
“I am aware of his betrayal and to ensure crisis in Benue state so that his so called state of emergency will be declared. I am not even sure that Akume is conversant with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“He attempted to impeach me in 2018 but by the grace of God the people of Benue state floored him. And he performed abysmally and lost his Senatorial election. Benue people rejected him and all the people he put forth to contest election. Today l am seated here, my Deputy is here courtesy of Benue people.
Ortom recalled how he contested on PDP platform after leaving APC and won as governor, saying that PDP won three Senatorial seats, seven House of Reps out of eleven and twenty-two State Assembly members out of thirty.
“And for his allegations, I know that the Commissioner of Information will clarify those issues based on the position of government and the State Executive Council. But I am taking Senator Akume to court for him to prove all those allegations he leveled against me.
“All he said were all lies, I have not done anything outside the laws of our land. On resources, I have not done anything outside the budget. The figures he was calling were all lies but he would go and prove it in court.
“I am a law abiding citizen so I have chosen that honorable way so as not to join issues with him, otherwise I would have talked about his misdeeds while he served here as governor of Benue state.
“But what pained me is that he was a human being who served two terms as Governor and Senator for three terms representing Benue North West senatorial district where the majority of the people affected by these terrorist activities of herdsmen were his constituents who also voted him as Governor.
The governor noted that George Akume never care for difficulties the people are passing through innBenue as he has never visited IDPs.
