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Ortom accuses Akume of using wanted Gana to rig presidential, guber elections

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Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has accused former governor of the state and serving senator, George Akume of employing the services of his alleged former aide and now wanted terrorist Terwase Akwaza, also known as Gana, to rig the presidential and governorship elections held in the state.

Ortom, in a statement issued on Tuesday by his Media Aide, Tever Akase, also distanced himself from the statement made by the Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) that he once employed Gana as one of his aides.

The Benue State Governor also alleged that Akume met with Gana before the commencement of the just concluded elections to give him the job of rigging the elections in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of the state.

The statement issued by Ortom’s aide reads; “In their bending over backwards to impress their sponsors, the BMO erroneously stated that Terwase Akwaza was Governor Ortom’s aide. Mr Akwaza, also known as Gana had at no time been appointed as an aide to the Governor. He was a key beneficiary of the amnesty programme initiated by the Ortom administration.

“However, the very moment he reneged and was accused of having a hand in the killing of the Governor’s former security aide, Denen Igbana, the police declared him wanted and the State Government immediately placed a reward of N20 million for anyone with information that could lead to his arrest. The reward still stands.

Read also: INSECURITY: Ortom labelled a hypocrite for pointing fingers at his aide Gana

“The group equally needs to be reminded that Governor Ortom had discussed the state’s amnesty programme with President Muhammadu Buhari before it was granted.

“When Gana went back to his old ways, Governor Ortom did not shield him, rather the State Security Council of which he is chairman authorized several expeditions to his hideout in order to arrest him.

“What the Buhari Media Organization refused to include in their statement was the fact that leader of All Progressives Congress, APC in Benue State, Senator George Akume, visited Gbishe, Gana’s village and reportedly met with him before the 2019 elections. It is believed that he solicited the services of the gangster to help APC in rigging the elections. With Gana’s support, the APC rigged the Presidential, Governorship and State Assembly Elections in Katsina-Ala local government area. Their action is being challenged at the tribunal.”

Ortom’s accusation comes a day after the Buhari Media Group (BMO) labeled him a hypocrite for accusing Gana, of causing mayhem and destabilising communities in the state.

In a statement signed by its Chairman, Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary, Casiddy Madueke, the BMO, also accused Ortom of fueling a hate ideology that encouraged crisis in the state, while diverting the mind of the people from the real issues of under-development.

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