BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – It is certainly not the best of times for the immediate past Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom as the State Asset Recovery Committee on Tuesday raided his automobile shop located in Makurdi, the state capital.
Reports indicated that working to deliver on its mandate, the Committee, recently set up by Governor Hyacinth Alia, seized some vehicles belonging to Ortom during the operation.
Though there has been no official statement from the Committee explaining its actions so far, insiders hinted that it was specifically acting on the directives issued by the State Government to retrieve “all public properties still in the custody of officials who served in the immediate past Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led administration in Benue State.”
Forefront News gathered that in carrying out the directives, the Committee had to deploy towing vans to pull out some of the identified vehicles when several attempts by the officials to physically drive them away from the automobile shop failed.
The Committee’s action is coming on the heels of allegations by the new All Progressives Congress (APC) administration of Governor Allia that government vehicles, numbering about 29, were carted away illegally by the former governor.
Speaking through a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, the governor said; “the case of the government house is particularly pitiable with vandalised furniture, window blinds, electronics, and other household appliances.
“This is besides the carting away of all vehicles including an ambulance and press crew bus attached to the office of the governor.
“At the last count, 29 vehicles attached to the Governor’s office are still nowhere to be found.”
However, reacting to the latest development, the Benue State chapter of PDP has accused Governor Alia of embarking on a witch hunt against his predecessor.
According to the State Publicity Secretary of the Party, Bemgba Iortyom, the Committee’s outing represents “a shameful showing of naked tyranny and impunity.”
Iortyom said in a statement released to the media in Makurdi on Tuesday thus; “Earlier today, thugs accompanied by security agents purporting to be on an assets recovery mission, raided a private automobile workshop owned by the former governor’s business concern, Oracle Nigeria Ltd., carting away motor vehicles at the premises of the workshop.
“Staff of the workshop have confirmed to PDP that the vehicles, of a yet-to-be-ascertained number, were those brought there for repairs by private owners and are not in any wise from any public source.
“PDP notes that this is yet another manifestation of disregard for the rule of law by the Benue State Governor, considering there is a subsisting court order barring his government from tampering with the assets of the former governor, specifically motor vehicles.”
