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From Scholastica Onyeka, Makurdi
The raid on the property belonging to the former Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, by Governor Hyacinth Alia’s Assets Recovery Committee, (ARC) has attracted condemnations and reactions from aides of both leaders of the state and the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP).
The committee raided ex Governor Ortom’s automobile workshop on Tuesday, July 11, and carted away vehicles suspected to be government owned.
According to the committee Chairman, Hingah Biem, it’s their mandate to investigate and recover all lands, vehicles, houses, furniture and other machines of government wrongly taken, sold and or stolen from office by the immediate past administration.
Reacting to the development, Media Aide to the former Governor, Terver Akase, condemned, in totality, what he described as Benue State Government’s unjustified harassment of his boss.
Akase who explained that the automobile workshop was a commercial workshop operated by London Lines Transport Ltd along Otukpo road in Makurdi said Ex-Governor Ortom’s vehicles among vehicles owned by other people undergoing repairs were towed away after members of the Assets Recovery Committee, acting on the directives of Governor Hyacinth Alia had forced their way into the workshop.
The former Governor’s aide said “We are shocked beyond belief at the development which smacks of lawlessness,” saying that the media show that followed the incident indicated that the present administration in the state is out to torment, persecute and humiliate the former Governor using every unconventional means.
He recalled that the Benue State Executive Council during the last administration, gave approval that Governor Ortom, his Deputy and appointees of that administration should leave with their official vehicles.
He further noted that the invasion of a workshop by members of the Committee led by one Barrister Tom Uja and accompanied by security operatives from Government House to tow away vehicles, many of which do not belong to the former Governor, was the height of illegality.
While noting that the case instituted by Ortom to stop the committee fro harassing him is still in court, Akase said Ortom is not the first former Governor to vacate office with the official vehicles allocated to him but that his predecessors also did same.
Describing his boss as a law abiding man who served the state as Governor, Akase said Ortom has not committed any offense deserving the persecution he is being subjected him to.
“He will continue to respect the rule of law even in the face of the latest provocation,” he said.
Also, the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Caucus in the Benue State House of Assembly has paid a solidarity visit to the immediate past Governor, Samuel Ortom, following impoundment of his vehicles by the Assets Recovery Committee of the present administration.
Speaking on behalf of all the members during the visit, leader of the Caucus and member representing Adoka-Ugboju State Constituency, Hon Michael Audu, condemned the action of the Alia administration, describing it as unwarranted persecution of the former Governor.
Hon Audu stated that the assault on Chief Ortom was unacceptable, illegal and should be condemned by all people of good conscience.
“Your Excellency, we are here to reaffirm our loyalty to you as our leader. Any attack on you is an attack on all of us PDP members in the State Assembly, and we will not fold our arms to watch this impunity continue”, he stated.
The PDP Caucus urged Governor Hyacinth Alia to restrain his team from further harassment of the former Governor and allow the matter to be decided by the courts.
Responding, Chief Ortom appreciated the PDP Assembly Caucus for the solidarity and encouraged them to sustain the spirit of oneness and their commitment to the party.
He pointed out that he was not the first Governor to leave office with vehicles allocated to him after the State Executive Council had given approval for him to do so.
Ortom said he was being persecuted unfairly but he would not hold grudges against his tormentors as he has chosen to leave them with their conscience.
But the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Hyacinth Alia, Tersoo Kula, has explained that the former Governor, Samuel Ortom is neither being harassed nor witch hunted.
Kula noted that the Governor had charged the committee not to witch hunt anyone, but to stop at nothing to legitimately recover all property wrongly taken away, sold and kept in the wrong hands, adding that “Ortom was not and has never been the target.
According to him, “The discovery and recovery of numerous vehicles at a private building within the state capital by the committee is an indication that they have truly swung into action.
Alia’s CPS who stated that Ortom is not the proverbial witch and is not being ‘hunted’ as stated by his aides, said the discovery and retrieval of more Benue assets currently in wrong hands, will provide the right ground for accountability in the Alia led administration in the state.
