•Suswam absent, jets out for medical treatment
The newly elected governor of Benue State, Chief Samuel Ortom, was sworn in at the IBB Square, Makurdi yesterday with his predecessor, Gabriel Suswam, conspicuously absent.
Suswam was said to have left the county in the early hours of yesterday aboard a British Airways plane. His wife, Yemisi, had left two days earlier for Houston, United States of America (USA).
A statement signed by the Media Adviser to Suswam, Dr Cletus Akwaya, however, said the former governor had to travel to Germany for medical treatment. The statement added that Dr Suswam left yesterday morning after he had successfully handed over to Ortom, to honour the medical appointment he had postponed twice.
“Dr Suswam’s commitment to successfully midwife the transition Programme for smooth transfer of power to the new administration was the main reason for the postponement of the medical appointment.
“With the successful handover, he had to rush for the scheduled medical check-up. The insinuation from a section of the media that he has fled the country is a complete misrepresentation of the circumstance of his travel abroad.
“Governor Suswam hopes to return to the country soon after his medical check-up,” the statement said.
The oath of office was administered by the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Iorhemen Hwande.
Some journalists who came to cover the event were manhandled by overzealous security agents who beat them with horse whip like common criminals.
The Deputy Governor, Engr. Benson Abouno, was the first to take his oath of office.
In his brief remark, Governor Ortom assured the people of Benue State that he would rule with the fear of God.
He said his top priority would be women and youth empowerment through Job creation and promotion of small and medium enterprises so that people would not depend on government for all their needs.
He assured civil servants in the state that their salary arrears would be paid soon.