Alleged Sleaze: Former Governor Ortom Lands In EFCC Net

Former governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom on Tuesday honoured the invitation extended to him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to answer some questions bordering on financial sleaze and mismanagement during his eight years tenure.

Ortom, who drove to the EFCC office in Makurdi at about 10:08am in the company of his Media aide, Terver Akase and Principal Assistant on Special Duties, Abraham Kwanghu, went straight to into the office to keep a date with his interrogators.

As at press time, the former governor was still being grilled by officials of the EFCC and it was not certain when he would be allowed to return home or if he may have to spend some days in the detention of the anti-graft agency.

Ortom left a debt profile of over N187.7 billion to the administration of Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia which he documented in three volumes saying that there were summary of account of his eight years administration.

While handing to Governor Alia, Ortom said that the total income that accrued to the state during his eight years administration amounted to N734.9billion as at April 2023 but, quickly added that the debt profile within the same period under review stood at N187.7billion that included unpaid salary, pension arrears, loans and bonds.

Otorm further told Alia that there was a debt swap/reduction arrangement between Benue State and the Federal Government to the tune of N97.716billion, adding that with an expected inflow of N48billion, after deduction, the negotiated debt swap would be reduced to N45.2billion.

The former governor also said that his administration secured an approval of N41billion loan and a N20billion Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) facility thus, urge Governor Alia’s administration to push for the release of the money.

…Sourced from Daily Trust