An Elder statesman and acclaimed social justice watchdog, Alhaji Abubakar B. Tsav has accused the Benue state governor, Samuel Ortom of neglecting the state for his Oracle business.
Tsav, a former commissioner of police has dragged Ortom before the presidency and other relevant security agencies over reasons of using his office to acquire ill-wealth for himself, family, cronies, favoured ones and in-laws.
The elder statesman said his action was informed by the pronouncement by government to expose corrupt persons both in government and private sector.
He disclosed that while the peasants of Benue people are living in extreme poverty under the APC administration, the governor has derived pleasure in exploiting them using the Bible, yet he call himself “Man of God”.
Tsav in a statement on Sunday, said Oracle Businesses which is the family businesses of the governor are blossoming to a conglomerate which has now expanded to Oracle Feeds Ltd, Oracle Farms Ltd, Oracle Media Ltd, Goshen Water (Ltd), Oracle Plastic Ltd, Oracle Super Sack Ltd and Tongi New Construction with Stephen Amase as a front with plans to diversify to other businesses including oil prospection in the future.
He recalled that, “On 12th July 2015, the Chief Executive Officer of Oracle Business Ltd, Mr. Mike Ortom, wrote a congratulatory letter to the governor over his victory and in the same letter presented a proposal for supply of thirty units of Toyota Prado Jeep model as Government Official Vehicles at the cost of N18million per unit amounting to N540million which the governor approved and directed the SSG to treat on 17th July, 2015 without advertising and competitive bidding.
“Sometimes in 2015, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, in their efforts to assist the Benue poor held discussion with governor Ortom with a view to setting up a state of the art cassava peel factory for the production of Animals Feeds in the state only for governor Ortom to hijack the project and integrate it to Oracle farm after signing an M.O.U on behalf of Benue state and hosting the delegation at government expense” he said.
He also queried the whereabouts of the over N2billion the Federal Government made available to Benue state for dry season farming, alleging that the whole money was pocketed by the governor.
“Your Excellency, you have been to China with Benue state Commissioner for Agriculture for more or about three times but brought no Chinese as Consultant to your government, but rather sixteen of them for your private farm. You also went to South Africa allegedly to woo investors. Where are these investors? If this is not corruption, then there is nothing like corruption in the world..”.
Tsav also disclosed that during the coronation of His Royal Majesty, the Tor Tiv Fifth, it was discovered that both the invitation cards, programmes, canopies, table water and every entertainment items was supplied by Oracle Business Ltd at the expense of the government.
Alhaji Tsav, therefore, requested the relevant agencies to investigate the allegations and pronounced the right penalty on Governor Samuel Ortom.
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