Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom spoke with reporters in Makurdi, the state capital, on why he set a panel of Inquiry to probe his predecessor, Gabriel Suswam, and what how he is fulfilling his campaign promises to the people. up probe panels on the past administration . Excerpts:
What’s your reaction to the dismissal of the two suits filled against your government by former Governor Gabriel Suswam?
I want to thank God. Like I keep saying, those two panels were not meant to witch- hunt anyone. Of course, everybody in the state knows that I’m a Christian and that I’m not a witch. So, I cannot be seen as witch-hunting anyone. As a democratically-elected governor, my allegiance is to the people. The people of Benue State want to know what happened to their funds. The money that accrued to the state through the sale of Benue State government shares in BCC amounting to N8.3 billion; what went wrong with it? We could not find where it was expended, whether it was in compliance with the laws of the land as stipulated in the budget. The money that came to Benue State through Sure-P, the money that came to Benue State through the Excess Crude Account, the money that came to Benue State through the sale of shares from Julius Berger, the money that came to Benue State through several other means within the eight years because the amount of debt that we inherited is alarming. So, we’ve provided a platform for people to go there and exonerate themselves if they are not culpable, but if you are, what we’re saying is that you must repent. You must make restitution by returning such monies.
The second panel is set up to verify government’s assets. How can you have a government and you don’t know what is government’s assets in Lagos, Kaduna and Benue State itself. How will people be just buying off government property, including part of Government House? It is unthinkable that a government under my watch will just fold its hands and watch. So, I’m happy and I appreciate God. I’ve always said that I have confidence in the judiciary because they will do the right thing. For us as a government, I want to say that I have a covenant with the people and God that I’ll rule with the fear of God, particularly on issues of transparency, equity, fairness, justice, accountability, discipline, integrity that I value so much. Of course, where there’s need to forgive, we’re ready done so. But, in forgiving, somebody must be there to ask for forgiveness; not a situation where somebody is trying to paint the government black. The intrigues and insinuations by the past government to try to paint us black are not founded anywhere. They are trying to use the issue of bailout to blackmail me; all those things are not right. We’ve set up committees made up of our own officials and those of various unions that are connected with this bailout. So, we’re transparent about this and no single kobo is going to be used for any other means. All that we’ve been trying to do is to ensure that money gets into the hands of those people that are genuinely entitled to get this money and that is what we’re doing.
There are insinuations that you are under pressure to probe the former governor, who is believed to be your friend. How true is this allegation?
I’m close to 55 years and for God’s sake, I’ve been local government chairman, I’ve held leadership positions at the state and national levels. For instance, I became national auditor of the party and Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Today, I’m the democratically elected Governor of Benue State and I’m educated. So, for God’s sake, when you talk about that it’s like you’re insulting my integrity and who I am. I sold my manifesto to the people of Benue State, they elected me and I’m telling you that it is the people of Benue State that told me to find out what went wrong with their resources. If you were here during the stakeholders’ meeting which I held, what did the people say? The people came out unanimously, including those in the PDP, and said I should go ahead and verify where their money is and they are concerned and anyone who has taken this money should bring it back. So, to go back and begin to say that Senator George Akume has told me to probe anyone is ridiculous. It is the people of Benue State that mandated me to do it, including PDP members and you all heard it, you are aware of this, they are still alive, you can go and verify this. So I’m not out to witch-hunt anybody. Like I said, I’m not a witch, I’m a child of God.
Are you willing to forgive and ensure that restitutions are made, if the former governor begs you to do so?
You know, the major thing for me is to recover the looted funds that are missing; once I recover them, there are agencies that can handle issues of prosecution and all that, like the EFCC and ICPC. For me, my primary objective of setting these panels is to recover these looted funds, so that we can use them for the development purposes, which is why I was elected.
We will like to know whether you will be averse to plea bargaining. If some funds are recovered or returned, will the probe be stopped?
I’ve always said that Samuel Ortom believes in the rule of law and due process. I’ll ensure that the law take its course. I’m not interested in plea bargaining; I believe in the rule of law and due process. And, of course, about the court judgment, I’ve answered it before, I’ve said that I appreciate the judiciary and I know that they will always do the right thing.
The judgment does not give powers to the commissions to arrest and try. We did not set up the commission to arrest people and try them; we set up the commission to verify what happened to our resources; income and expenditure; what came in and what went out; how it was spent; whether it was right or wrong. I’ve said it, we’ve provided a platform for those who operated the past government to come in and exonerate themselves. We believe in the rule of law and we cannot just come out and accuse people: you took this much and you took that much. We are saying that come and exonerate yourself. The allegations are there, after that if you we want to prosecute, the process can be done.
