EFCC victimisation of Benue Govt now at ridiculous level, Ortom cries out

Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom has regretted the perceived persecution of the state government by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), decrying the new development where the anti-graft agency now demands minutes of his government’s Security Council meetings.

The governor, who claimed in a statement through his Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase, that the commission had continued to ground the state government, lamented that the victimisation has reached a ridiculous level with such a request.

The EFCC had few weeks ago, soon after the governor dumped the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), begin investigation of the Benue government’s expenditure of N22 billion.

The commission at a point froze the government accounts, a development Ortom had then described as part of the political witch-hunt against his government, saying that the action was already having negative impact on the running of government in the state in the areas of payment of salaries, pensions and other sundry payments.

“The question we are asking is: why did EFCC not investigate the governor’s security votes when he was still a member of the APC? Why start the investigation now?

READ ALSO: INEC budgets N6bn to feed policemen during 2019 elections

“EFCC should not allow itself to be used as an attack dog unleashed against perceived political opponents. Let the Federal Government tell us how much it has spent on prosecuting the fight against Boko Haram and how much it spent on other operations such as Python Dance, Crocodile Smile and Whirl Stroke,” the government had then said.

Making known the current situation of things between his government and the anti-graft agency on Wednesday, Ortom said, “EFCC is still victimising the state because what happens now is that every day, the commission invites not fewer than seven government officials to Abuja. Government activities have been grounded. The victimisation has reached a ridiculous level now as the commission is demanding minutes of the Security Council meetings.

“The level at which EFCC is pushing its persecution of Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, is ridiculous. No day passes without the commission adding one more angle to their harassment of Benue officials.

“Their latest move is the demand for minutes of the Benue State Security Council meetings. Does the statutory mandate of the commission include regulation of states’ security affairs?”

 

RipplesNigeria… without borders, without fears

Click here to join the Ripples Nigeria WhatsApp group for latest updates.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now