The immediate past governor of Benue state, Samuel Ortom, has reacted to a recent lawsuit filed against his administration.
Ortom noted that since he has been probed by the auditor general of the state and the outcome has been published in several gazettes, he sees no reason for his predecessor, Governor Hyacinth Alia’s, administration to do the same again.
The ex-governor made this assertion while reacting to an ex-parte motion filled at the Makurdi High Court presided over by Justice T. Asua, Vanguard reported on Friday, May 31.
Recall that a Benue state high court in Makurdi on Wednesday, May 29, restrained the commission of inquiry established by Governor Alia from investigating Ortom.
The court ruled that the investigation must be paused until the resolution of a lawsuit filed by Ortom challenging the probe of his administration.
This came after Governor Hyacinth Alia initiated two judicial commissions of inquiry in February to examine the Benue state government’s funds (income and expenditure) from May 29, 2015, to May 28, 2023, during Ortom’s tenure.
However, counsel to Chief Ortom, Oba Maduabuchi, a Senior Advocate, told the court that the grounds of the application were that: âthe Auditor General is imbued with powers under the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to investigate and probe the finances of the state.â
He added that âthe motion on notice shall be entered for hearing within 14 days after the grant of leave, pursuant to Order 40, Rule 5(4) of the Rules of the Court.â
Earlier, TimesNow.com.ng reported that Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue state warned former governor Samuel Ortom and others that he would not allow anyone to destabilise his government.
Alia warned his predecessors to refrain from interfering in his administration, stating that they had their tenure.
The Catholic priest-turned-politician said former governors who donât have anything to offer Benue state should just shut up. He stated this while reacting to Ortomâs advice for him to sheath his sword against the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
Source: TimesNow.com.ng
