…Agency begins probe of 21 Assembly members on N375m money laundering
…We welcome probe devoid of political witch-hunt- Ortom’s spokesman
…Drama, reactions trail impeachment notice against Gov by 8 Assembly members
Indications has emerged on how embattled Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom, who is battling an impeachment notice served on him on Monday allegedly diverted about N29billion state funds into his personnel use.
The Daily Times learnt that investigation by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the last three years following distressed intelligence reports and petitions over alleged fraudulent activities revealed that Governor Ortom has not only presided over a corrupt administration but a House of Assembly deeply emersed in corruption.
Reliable source from the EFCC stated that the investigation was triggered off by an intelligence report that Ortom had through his aide allegedly withdrawn N8billion state fund from the treasury. Surprisingly, however, it was discovered that about N19bn was diverted through cash withdrawals by government officials.
It was further revealed that between June 1, 2015 and February 30, 2016, an additional sum of N8billion was diverted by state government officials from four separate state government bank accounts specifically marked as security vote and maintenance of security.
The EFCC source added that the security operatives are trying to unravel how Benue State Government House account No. 1017348051 with UBA, a sister Benue State Government House account No. 0027952907 with Guaranty Trust Bank GTB was easily manipulated.
More so, when the accounts have revealed that between June 30, 2015 and March 2018, the sum of N1.92 billion was withdrawn by three individuals – Emmanuel Aorga – N369m; Patrick Aba – N130m and Odwja Peter – N704m.
The trio were said to have carried out the withdrawals in N10m tranches in cheques issued and cashed by them. The drawers have now being identified as government cashiers.
Other bank accounts maintained with Benue State Bureau for Internal Affairs, marked as UBA account No. 1007540119 and First Bank account No. 2023788057 also witnessed massive withdrawals totalling N19.47billion within same period in same manner of N10m trenches. One Oliver Mtom was said to have withdrew the money through N10m cash, and about N500million daily.
So far, all the cashiers and accountants, it was learnt, have been invited for questioning by the EFCC operatives.
According to the source, the invited officials have made useful revelation that “they had a place where the monies were kept at the Government House”.
But, Gabriel Iangba, the Permanent Secretary, Government House, insists the funds were used for security purposes, protocol and Government House officials’ travels expenses while the Permanent Secretary, Internal Affairs, Boniface Nyaakor, said the fund was spent in funding six security agencies operating in the state to tackle security challenges.
Nyaakor insisted that the Federal Government security agencies were given N10m each while other were given N5m. He said he raised the memos and got the approvals of Governor Ortom for the expenditures. Nyaakor also disclosed that the money was distributed and the list documented.
The EFCC operatives have also begun investigation on a complaint lodged by former Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, Abubakar Tsav, at Public Complaints Commission in 2016 to the effect that state pensioners were not paid even though N909 .99million was withdrawn from Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
The total sum of N1.328bn was allegedly withdrawn from the Bureau’s Fidelity Bank account No. 5030058730 between October 2015 and June 2016.
Other suspicious withdrawals made on the account were by John Baku – N28m cash, and Andoor Festus – N1.3bn in an installment of N10m cash.
The Daily Times also learnt on Monday that the EFCC has reopened investigations into fraud involving the sum of N375m perpetrated by 21 members of Benue State House of Assembly.
The probe, which began in 2016 bordered on contract award for supply of official vehicles which was allegedly aborted while N12m shared to 21 members from unlawful proceed.
The contractor ended up supplying only eight out of 30 official vehicles ordered for the lawmakers’ oversight functions use. EFCC has so far recovered N244m out of the embezzled fund.
But Governor Ortom has said he is ready to open himself to investigation of corruption and money laundering levelled against him but that it should be devoid of political witch-hunt.
Speaking through his spokesman, Terver Akase, Governor Ortom said that the state records under his watch are open to investigation by the EFCC.
He advised that the EFCC investigation should be free, fair and devoid of political witch hunt.
He said, “EFCC is not a court of law, it is only an investigative body. It is a commission charged with the responsibility to prevent corruption. It doesn’t have the power to pass judgement. Where there is a case, the job of the EFCC is to investigate. We are open for investigation. Governor Samuel Ortom is ready and has opened his books for investigation.
“However, we advice that justice should be done. Every year, we publish the account expenditure of the government. That means we have nothing to hide. EFCC is welcome anytime in Benue to carry out their investigation.
“There is nothing wrong about that, there is nothing strange about that. The only thing that we advise is that the investigation should be fair. It should not be used as a political witch- hunt. If they are fair, we do not have any thing to hide. Governor Ortom is a transperent leader,” Akase added.
Meanwhile, a faction comprising 8 members of the Benue State House Assembly led by the earlier impeached speaker, Hon Terkimbi Ikyange, has initiated an impeachement move against Governor Ortom.
This is even as mellow drama on Monday played in the legislative house when the two factional groups sitting in separate places, slammed six months suspension on each of the opposing groups.
While the Terkimbi Ikyange group which held their sitting in the chambers of the state Assembly suspended 15 out of the 22 members who earlier impeached him, the group led by the new speaker, Titus Uba later at the old Banquet Hall of the Government House sat and suspended seven members of the Ikyange group.
The earlier impeached speaker, who was afterwards also suspended, had along with other seven members of his group around 5am stormed the State Assembly complex in a bus, with heavily armed policemen who mounted the gate and blocked the road leading to the state assembly, preventing the other 22 members from gaining access to the complex.
It was learnt that a plot to impeach Governor Ortom had leaked and youths numbering over 100 had been mobilised to stop the action.
As early as 5am, the youths blocked the assembly even as security personnel who were said to have been deployed to the state from Abuja by the Inspector General of Police quickly moved into the assembly premises to disperse the youths with tear gas canisters.
The tear gas which covered the state assembly also forced out staff and journalists who had gone to the complex to cover the sitting.
Sources from the assembly who spoke on condition of anonymity said only eight members were in the sitting.
But the former Speaker, Mr. Ikyange, while briefing newsmen at his residence, said that 12 members were present at the sitting.
The former Speaker alleged that the impeachment move against Ortom was based on a motion earlier moved by the former majority leader, Benjamin Adanyi, accusing the governor of gross mismanagement of the state resources.
He also alleged the embezzlement of Local Government funds to the tune of N33 billion, purported cornering of State funds, citing the investigation of N22 billion by the EFCC and the rampant spending of State funds in search of party platforms to contest and other issues as reasons for group to initiate the impeachement move against the governor.
Ikyange accused the governor of gross underperformance, saying that for the past three years, no reasonable project has been commissioned by Governor Ortom.
He said the issues against the governor were weighty and the members would not sit back to see the governor plunge the state into chaos.
Ikyange also said the 15 members suspended were found to have involved in behaviour that was capable of bringing disrepute to the house and the good people of the state.
“The Governor has performed poorly which has resulted in suffering amongst the people.
“We have also gotten a court order directing banks to give us mandate on account opening of some workers who are not paid salaries. I will serve the Governor the impeachment notice in seven (7) days according to law,” he said.
But briefing newsmen after their sitting in Government House, the House ad-hoc committee chairman on Media and Publicity, Mr. Paul Biam, described the sitting by the Ikyange group as illegal.
He said the former Speaker and other principal members were earlier removed from the office, and 22 members of the house went further to obtain a court injunction to stop him from parading himself as the speaker of the house.
He said the former Speaker who presided over the factional sitting was earlier suspended by the house, adding that only eight members of the Ikyange led group sat and the number did not even form quorum.
Biam said the act exhibited by the sacked speaker and seven other members was a clear act of illegality and a disregard for the law.
He said, “In spite of the injunction, we went to the house to conduct our legislative duty but were refused access while the Ikyange group were escorted by armed personnel and armored tanks into the complex where they sat without the clerk and a mace.
“Therefore, we have resolved to suspend the seven (7) members who took part in that sitting. They did not form quorum.
“We are also calling on the international community to beam their searchlight on Benue State as well as stakeholders to show concern in the events so as to deepen democracy’, Biam, House Committee chairman on Information, added.
But Governor Ortom, who spoke to journalists in reaction to the invasion of the Benue State House of Assembly by the Police and DSS, said Nigeria was gradually becoming a shit hole as described by the US president, Donald Trump.
He expressed worry over the rising issues of illegality, noting that it was shocking that eight members of the assembly would be given cover by security to carry out an illegality.
Governor Ortom also accused the leader of the APC in the state, Senator George Akume, of being behind the crisis at the state assembly, expressing worry that security personnel who should be neutral in their duty are being used by individuals to carry shady deals.
“Today I realised why President Trump called Africa a shit hole. I am sure the president is aware of the impunity being perpetrated by IG and DSS in the state.
“This morning police from Abuja in Benue and DSS acting on the instructions of the APC leader Akume and Inspector General of Police blocked the assembly and barred 22 members of the house of assembly from going about their lawful duties.
“The same police provided security for seven members and the impeached speaker, to go against court injunction and sit.
“How can eight members suspend 22 members? Only the eight members also claimed they sat and have resolved to serve me impeachment notice. This really shows the shit hole we are in”, Governor Ortom added.
On allegation of involving in fraud amounting to billions of naira , Governor Ortom said it would be pointless for him to comment on allegations made against him during an illegal sitting.
He said state government has evidence to prove against Mr. Ikyange on monies he earlier collected from government and could not account for it.
Governor Ortom also referred to the national chairman of APC, Adams Oshiomhole, of being over zealous, adding that he lacked the moral standards to query anyone on issues of corruption.
“Oshiomhole, had just few weeks ago rained praises on me and insisted that he will do anything to ensure that I remain in the APC.
“For him to make a 360 turn and begin demonising me raises questions to his integrity. Is he saying now that I lost political value because I defected to the PDP?
“For God’s sake, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria grant us the right to freedom of association. Everything has gone wrong with the APC, that is why for the first time in the history of Nigeria, people are moving massively from the ruling party to the opposition parties,” Ortom noted.
Meanwhile, Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki and Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Minister of Special Duty, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have condemned the attempt on Monday by eight out of the 30 members Benue State House of Assembly to commence impeachment process against the Governor Samuel Ortom.
Saraki and Dogara described the plot as “a desecration of the legislative sanctity”. This is even as they berated security cover and support given by the police to the eight lawmakers while 22 other members who constitute more than two-third majority were kept away from the Assembly Complex.
In a statement jointly signed by Yusuph Olaniyonu and Turaki Hassan, their aides in-charge of media, Saraki and Dogara also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to call the police to order and stop them being used to achieve political purposes.
“We have monitored closely the development in Benue State in which the impeached Speaker, Terkimbir Ikyange, led seven other members to serve impeachment notice on the state Governor, Samuel Ortom, while the 22 other members who constitute more than two-thirds majority have been prevented from having access to the chamber. We believe this is illegality and does not conform to parliamentary procedure on impeachment.
“We also note with surprise the role of the Police in this undemocratic event in which the minority is seeking to impeach a Governor against the position of the majority. We believe it is the sacred institution of the legislature that is being desecrated and rubbished in all these negative developments.
“The situation in Benue State House of Assembly has grave implication for the nation’s democracy and it represents a throw-back to the period of dictatorship in our country.
It also represents how the Nigeria Police are being misused to achieve political end. In a statement recently, the Presidency derisively referred to an era in the past where a minority number of legislators was used to impeach Governors who were unfriendly with the Federal Government. What we are seeing in Benue now is a return to that inglorious era.
“We believe this unlawful and unconstitutional move to impeach Governor Samuel Ortom by a minority should be condemned by all lovers of democracy, at home and abroad.
We call on President Muhammadu Buhari to call the police to order and prevent a break-down of law and order. We also call on friends of Nigeria in the international community to lend their voice in condemning the perpetration of illegalities and actions that can subvert our democracy.
“There is already a tense atmosphere in Benue State following the recent killings. Nobody should encourage any action or move which may exacerbate the security situation in the North Central State.
As leaders of the Federal legislature, we are ready to work with our colleagues in both chambers of the National Assembly to prevent any attempt to destroy any state legislature or use it to derail democracy”, Saraki and Dogara stated.
On his part, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar condemned the awkward political development and described as illegally the occupation of the Benue State House of Assembly by some lawmakers with the aid of policemen to serve impeachment notice to Governor Samuel Ortom.
Reacting to the political development in a statement in Abuja on Monday, Atiku condemned the aberration and arbitrariness in the plot to oust Governor Ortom contrary to the provisions of the country’s constitution.
According to him, any attempt to disregard the rule of law and constitution in the impeachment of a governor is a recipe for anarchy and officially sanctioned lawlessness.
Atiku Abubakar, who is a frontline presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 election in a release from his media office, regretted that for a state facing security challenges like Benue, the introduction of lawlessness in the impeachment process could only complicate an already bad situation.
The former Vice President noted that whatever might be the short term political benefits of lawlessness, the long term dangers are by far greater than those perceived benefits.
He warned that if unchecked, the political situation in Benue State could lead to a domino effect across the country, thereby jeopardising our democracy and endangering innocent lives and property of lawful citizens.
Also, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned in its entirety the failed plot led by the impeached and suspended Speaker of Benue State House of Assembly, Terkibir Ikyanger, as well as condemned the use of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Department of State Services (DSS) to harass and intimidate officials of the Benue State Government.
The party’s spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, at a press briefing in Abuja, said the National Working Committee (NWC) of PDP after its emergency meeting Monday noted the roles played by the Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government and Sen. George Akume in encouraging lawless acts and anarchy in Benue State.
The party stated that the actions and opinions expressed by Oshiomole on the decamping of Governor Ortom to the PDP as well as the deployment of policemen by the Buhari-led Federal Government to force the purported issuance of illegal impeachment notice on the Governor are acts intended to precipitate crisis for declaration of state of emergency in Benue State.
“It is on record that the erstwhile Speaker had been impeached, suspended and restrained by a court of competent jurisdiction from parading himself as Speaker.
“In spite of this, it is shocking that no fewer than 300 Policemen were alleged to have escorted the impeached Speaker to the State House of Assembly to initiate a disgraceful and manifestly illegal process”, said the party.
The PDP warned against deliberate acts which were maliciously designed to truncate democracy by employing underhand tactics to achieve what is inconceivable in a democracy.
The party called on the Nigerian public, the civil society organisations and International Community to note the series of plots and deliberate attempts by the Buhari-led APC Federal Government to cause mayhem in a state that is struggling to recover from a spate of killings and bloodletting.
“We are aware that these plots were designed to scare away Nigerians, Including state governors and legislators, who are desirous of rallying with the PDP to rescue our nation from the misgovemance of the Buhari regime.
This misadventure is dead on arrival and again demonstrates the desperation of this failed APC Federal Government”, the party said.
The PDP urged members to remain steadfast as no amount of intimidation, harassment and assault on processes would suppress the freedom of choice eminently guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution (as amended), however, charged members in Benue State, to rise in defense of their rights and our hard earned democracy.
In his reaction, Tanimu Turaki, who is also a frontline PDP presidential aspirant, said the action of the Benue lawmakers is creating apprehension about the survival of democracy in Nigeria, considering the manner in which it is being held at gun point by the Buhari Administration without remorse.
In a statement entitled: “Are we In A Democracy?,” signed by Sola Atere, Director Media and Publicity, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki Presidential Campaign Organisation, the presidential aspirant noted that to describe recent attacks on democracy as condemnable was an understatement.
He recalled the hijacking of the Ekiti State governorship seat by the APC-led government using 30,000 policemen besides other security forces deployed for just one election.
He recalled also the deployment of policemen on July 27 ostensibly to block the Benue State House of Assembly from performing its democratic duty of sitting in the legislative chamber.
Turaki recalled further the scandalous siege laid to the official residences of the Senate President and his deputy, with the probability of blocking them from going to the Senate chambers and having them impeached as being alleged.
He referred to another incident where policemen were suspiciously deployed to the Ekiti State House of Assembly for what they referred to as ‘security reasons’ with the Speaker denying ever making such a request.
Turaki said now, those in possession of the instrument of coercion have done it again with the storming of the Benue State House of Assembly on Monday, July 30 where they denied entry to the Speaker and 18 other members, while allowing entry to just seven members loyal to APC.
These members in the minority, he alleged, were planning to impeach Governor Samuel Ortom in spite of the decided cases at the Supreme Court in the matters of former Oyo State governor, Rasheed Ladoja and ex-Plateau State governor, Joshua Dariye, where the apex court had declared such moves as illegal, null and void.
This strong arm tactics in a democracy that had also been used to humiliate the judiciary, he said, have seriously dented the image of our democracy.
Turaki called on men and women of goodwill, those who cherish the vision of Nigeria’s founding fathers and lovers of democracy all over the world to stand up and be counted to save the country from sliding into an undeserved anarchy being engineered by the APC.
Daily Times
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