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.
By Ameh Comrade Godwin
