Paris Club refund: Why EFCC must probe Benue Governor, Ortom – Wike

The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to probe his Benue State counterpart, Governor Samuel Ortom over the use of Paris Club refund allocation.

This is coming barely one week after he called for the imposition of a state of emergency on Benue State, over what he described as the state government’s show of incapability in handling security matters.

Speaking with Daily Sun, the governor said despite the amount of money disbursed to Benue, Ortom had not done much to cater to the needs of the people, hence the need for EFCC investigation.

According to Wike, “The EFCC should look into the Paris Club refund allocation to Benue State because there is paucity of infrastructure in the state. The governor should be asked to account for the money and other allocations he has received in nearly two years in office.”

He maintained that Benue people are suffering “because they don’t have dividends of democracy.”

Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari had recently ordered the release of the second tranche of London-Paris Club loan refunds to States .

This is coming at a time the Rivers State Governor had, last week, called for the declaration of state of emergency in Benue State, following the killing of about 52 people in a market in Zaki Biam, Benue State.

The governor had maintained that the state governor failed in managing the problem of insecurity in the state.