Why Jime should respond to his indictment by Senate over fraud – Akase

By David Mzer

Chief Press Secretary to Benue State Governor, Mr Terver Akase says the governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC in the state, Emmanuel Jime lacks the moral ground to criticize his principal on issues relating to governance and private investments.

Mr Akase stated this while reacting to statements credited to the APC candidate who accused Governor Ortom of running his private business at the expense of the state.

He challenged Mr Jime to explain the source of funds he used in establishing an expansive farm in Gwagwalada area of Abuja which is estimated to cost over five hundred million naira.

Mr Akase said Jime is yet to clear himself of his indictment by the Senate Committee on Trade and Investment which uncovered N205 million fraud in Export Processing Zones Authority, NEPZA budget of 2018.

“A man who stands indicted by a committee of the highest legislative chamber in the country over fraud lacks the moral ground and integrity to accuse another man. It is over a year since the Senate Committee on Trade and Investment uncovered padding and other fraudulent issues in the NEPZA budget of 2018 under Jime but we have not read anywhere that he extricated himself from the accusations. If this country were not under a government that protects its appointees who loot public funds, Jime would have been answering questions from EFCC by now”, he stated.

The Governor’s Chief Press Secretary described as ridiculous, Emmanuel Jime’s desperation to be governor which has led him to deceive traditional rulers in Benue State that he acquired plots of land for them while he served as Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on FCT.

He questioned why it took Jime four years after he left the National Assembly only to inform the royal fathers about the said plots of land now that he is vying for governorship of the state.

Mr Akase pointed out that the APC candidate ought to get busy trying to convince people on the allegation that he is being sponsored by enemies of the state to repeal the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law, if elected, so that herdsmen could have unhindered access to land for their livestock.

He said the fact that Jime has chosen to make Governor Ortom the subject of his campaign message indicates that the APC flag bearer has nothing to offer the people of Benue State.

According to him, records exist to show that Governor Ortom accessed a Central Bank facility with which he funded Oracle Business Limited long before he became Governor, stressing that Jime ought to have done his homework properly before making the allegation.

Mr Akase dismissed Jime’s allegation as comments of an embattled candidate who is apparently up against the popular will of the people and wants to drag his opponents to a war of words.