N6bn law suit against Akume: Benue PDP hails Gov Ortom

The Benue State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party) PDP) has hailed Governor Samuel Ortom’s decision to approach the courts of law to seek redress against Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, George Akume in a N60 billion suit.

The Benue State Governor is aggrieved and feels injured by allegations levied against him by the Minister in a press conference on 30th August, 2021, among which were that he has missappropriated billions of naira from public coffers and is running militia which is responsible for killings and acts of insecurity in the state.

And the PDP said Ortom’s decision to sue the former Benue Governor is appropriate, considering the injurious statements the latter had made against him and the state.

Bemgba Iortyom, Benue State Publicity Secretary of the PDP urged Governor Ortom to remain steadfast on the task of providing good governance to the people under his mandate and seeking at all times their peace, security and wellbeing, as he is doing.

The statement reads in full.

For those who have been of the opinion that Governor Ortom should have taken to the media to defend those allegations point after point, there could be no better place to do such defending other than the law courts which the governor has approached.

There an impartial arbiter in the person of the judge will listen to both parties and determine without fear or favour who is telling the truth and who is not.

Before the courts of law partisan bigotry such as runs in both supporters of Governor Ortom and Minister Akume will not be the determinant for judging what is true and what isn’t.

Same as it was when former Edo State governor and then National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, levied allegations of complicity in killings in Benue against Governor Ortom, and same way it was when late Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, a retired Commissioner of Police, accused him of graft and other offences, the governor approached the courts and sought arbitration following which both Oshiomhole and Alhaji Tsav pleaded for settlement of the matter out of court.

The former Edo State governor and the late retired Police Commissioner both rendered public apology to Governor Ortom which they caused to be punished in national dailies admitting that they lied against him.

In this case too the court will look at the facts before it and decide impartially if Ortom as governor has stolen state funds and is responsible for acts of insecurity in Benue State, as allegedly Akume, or if the accusations so levied and now before the court are false hence injurious to the person and reputation of the governor.

Benue PDP applaud the governor for being such a law abiding citizen who prefers the civilized option of seeking redress to injuries through the law courts and by so doing has blazed a path towards strengthening and deepening the litigation culture which to a great extent defines the level of civilisation and orderliness in a society.

By this preference of Governor Ortom to abide by the rule of law, there has occured the virtual death of thuggery among youths in the state: he has consistently maintained that he does not have use for thugs or militia, as such he does no patronise them, and this much is publicly evident with none to be found with him under whatever guise.

By approaching the law courts over the allegations made against him by Akume, Governor Ortom has yet again lifted civilisation higher above the jungle and by so doing further distinguished his era from previous ones when the tendency to resort to jungle approaches at the highest levels of state power was an option.

Benue PDP commend Governor Samuel Ortom for this and urge him to remain steadfast on the task of providing good governance to the people under his mandate and seeking at all times their peace, security and wellbeing, as he is doing.