Former Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State has been called a liar by his successor, Governor Samuel Ortom. The incumbent governor said the administration of Dr Gabriel Suswam, collected a N5 billion bond before leaving office contrary to claims he purportedly recently made.
Governor Samuel Ortom’s Special Adviser, Media and ICT, Tahav Agerzua, Suswam revealed that: “Our attention has been drawn to a statement signed by the former Governor of Benue State, Dr. Gabriel Suswam, to the effect that his administration did not collect the N5 billion bond which he applied for to spend on some roads before vacating office.”
“He stated categorically that his administration did not collect one naira from that bond. However, numerous official documents with respect to the transaction have debunked and controverted the claims of the former governor.”
“Indeed the documents have provided incontrovertible proof that the bulk of the bond, N4.5billion, was diverted to offset an overdraft which the administration took from a bank and not spent on any of the roads as specified in the terms of the bond. When Governor Ortom became aware of the alleged fraud, he engaged former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice Michael Aondoakaa, SAN, to investigate the matter.”
Gov. Ortom, petitioned the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) which investigated and discovered that the terms of the bond had been breached and that the bank had colluded with the former governor to divert the proceeds of the bond into purposes other than what it was intended for.”
“One of the documents which confirm the diversion is a letter written by the former Accountant-General, Mr. Joseph Kpaakpa, and Director of Treasury, Mr Asen Kwagh-Har to The Regional Manager, United Bank for Africa Plc, Makurdi Branch on 1st April, 2015 that they had ‘authorised the full liquidation of the overdraft facility of N4.5 billion from Bond ll proceeds account.”
“At a recent meeting of officials of the bank, SEC, and officials of the state government including the Commissioner of Finance, Mr. David Olofu, and Secretary to State Government, Professor Anthony Ijohor, SAN, the bank accepted liability and promised to refund the money. It is therefore, surprising that Dr Suswam would deny receiving the bond.”
Ex-Governor Suswam did not come clean about past government deals, the former governor took an advertorial in one of the national dailies to refute news of the sale of Benue State Government shares, but this was later confirmed to be true. He also later sold the state’s shares in Julius Berger as well.”
“Every statement Governor Ortom makes with regard to how his predecessor conducted the affairs of state is backed by available documents as was reflected in the report of the Justice Elizabeth Kpojime, Commission of Inquiry which uncovered the loot of over N107 billion from Benue State government coffers by the former governor and 51 others.”
“In the case of the N5 billion bond there is abundant documentary evidence of the fraud perpetrated by the former governor. The former governor had no need to borrow at all considering the enormous resources that came into the state during the Suswam years.”
“As for the Ortom administration Benue people know that borrowing was inevitable given the circumstances of a deficit treasury and huge financial challenges it inherited from predecessors who plundered and brought the state to its knees. Moreover, the people are getting full value for what was borrowed in terms of infrastructure and other projects in all sectors across the state.”
“The many lies of former Governor Suswam and his cohorts which are targeted at smearing the hard-earned reputation of Governor Ortom and his administration will be exposed one by one like the case at hand.”