Gov contest: How federal might’ll be shamed in Benue —Ortom

THE opposition in the state accused you of cashing in on herdsmen attacks on the state to campaign. How true is this?

In line with the law, I am doing what my people want and that is all about democracy.

He may not care about the killings; even now, killings are still going on. I should be bothered, because the primary responsibility of any government is to protect lives and property and where this is not being done [then the government has failed].

Let me draw the attention of those who are responsible, of course, the issue of protecting lives and property is squarely the responsibility of the Federal Government, which has the security apparatus; it is not my responsibility. But there is no way I will leave my people without protecting them

 

Can you react to the allegation by former Governor George Akume that you are the richest governor in the North-Central? Even Oshiomole accused you of diverting funds meant for payment of salaries.

I don’t know but the truth of the matter is that Akume cannot hold me responsible for not being able to have investment by ensuring that he provides jobs, provide opportunities and other things for other people. I was a billionaire before I became governor. And those of you who are in Benue State know. This is not the first time. But because of my public office, I had to resign from the chairmanship of my company when I became a minister.

The company is doing fine, borrowing money from NEXIM Bank, Bank of Industry and from the Central Bank’s Agriculture Development Programme. You can check and confirm. When I discovered this window through the former Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh, that there were funds available for agriculture development programmes, especially those that can add value to our primary product, I drew the attention of Akume that with his assets around, he could secure up to N5 billion. And the central bank was willing to give it to him. But he later told me that he did not have the capacity to run any company, that even a farm, he doesn’t have.

So, can he blame me for that? Akume who was governor for eight years, you would recall. Up till today, he still has a with EFCC. It’s just that he is in APC, so, nobody is concerned about prosecuting him. That is why I am saying that EFCC has become a department in APC, otherwise, Akume would have been prosecuted. Where did he get money to build the palace that he has in Makurdi, with all the houses that he has around this town?  What about the ones he bought? Where did he get money to build the house he is living in Abuja? Did he cultivate lands for rice or sesame seeds or anything before he got them?

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When you have nothing to offer for 12 years as senator, you nothing to show and you come to make those wild allegations, it is laughable. Where is my house in Abuja? I have none. It’s just last year that I started building a house even in Makurdi, which is ongoing. Otherwise, the only house I have is the one I left for the Government House.  So, where is the richest man? That is an imagination created to demonise me. But we are not fettered, because we know the truth.

 

You have been accused of arming Livestock Guards to torment the people of the state, how true is this?

Akume is doing that to blackmail me including what he said about me arming militia. I remain a very peaceful person. You can go round and see the PDP billboards that they destroyed yesterday but we did not respond. They have destroyed my billboard on Lafia Road. Even in Gbajimba, my own hometown; they were responsible for the shooting that took place. All this while, I am just reporting to the security agencies because I don’t want anything that will create violence in this state. But that is what they want; because they know that they have lost the support of the people in Benue State.

 

But it was assumed that you are using the farmers/herdsmen clashes to project yourself.

The issue of them alleging that I’m using the farmers/herders crisis to project myself, how can government allow herdsmen to continue after the anti-open grazing law was enacted? So, it is not about me; it is about them and you will recall that recently I raised an alarm that they said in a rally that when we get closer to elections, they were going to invite more herdsmen to come into Benue and they will also direct security agencies not to apprehend them so that there will be insecurity in Benue State and elections will be declared inconclusive.

As I talk to you today, so many numbers of herdsmen are coming in with their cattle into the state. We have reported this to the security agencies and we are waiting to see the response that they are going to give. If they don’t stop them from coming in, then, we know that what APC said was planned and it is being executed.

I’m aware that it is a plan by the APC administration to allow cattle to come in to make the state insecure so that they try to rig the election. Otherwise, they have no hold whatsoever in the state. You would recall that we were to hold our youth rally in 22 local government areas of the state today but because the president was coming to Makurdi, we shifted that of Makurdi. But they said that would make the stadium not to be full. So, they usually hire people. I will continue to defend my people. I will not allow my people to be killed while I watch and not say anything. I prefer to stand with my people even if I’m not governor.

 

You talk so much about killing, but could that be the reason why the opposition said you have wasted three and half years with nothing to show?

Most of you here are always with me, you have gone round and seen the milestone we have achieved; in education, health and other sectors, you have seen these projects, some are almost completed.

They are shifting the narrative now, they used to talk about salary but now that we are paying salary up to date, I only owe arrears of salary.

In other states, the chairman of the governors’ forum said that 24 states could not pay salary.

But our projects are there in all sectors of life; we have achieved a lot despite the challenges we have. You know that all the projects were going on until last year when we had problems of payment because of the huge wage bill of the state.

Aside Lagos and Rivers states, Benue is third in terms of wage bill and the highest in the North.

There is no way anybody can talk about me diverting or siphoning money anywhere. This government was investigated by ICPC; let anybody come out and tell me where we have diverted money.

 

There is this belief from your opponent that as a Christian that you claim to be, you still believe so much in using propaganda.

Let Jime (APC governorship candidate) explain to the people why he was accused of padding budget. It is then you can appreciate who is a Christian. No one is to judge me whether I am a Christian or not, it is left to God. My yes has always been yes. Tell me one thing that I say that is not right, what have I said that I didn’t do in line with the teaching of the Bible? There are some things that you forgive, that is the atonement from God. You forgive others so that God will forgive you. The fact that you are a Christian doesn’t mean you are a saint. But the interesting part of it is that the Bible says if you forgive, God is ready to forgive you too.

So even if I sin, I am a human being, I can make mistake but the onus is on me to reconcile with God by confessing and asking for forgiveness. God will forgive and I have done that several times.

 

Do you feel threatened by the purported plan to deploy what is regarded as the federal might in Benue during the election?

I am also state might; federal might will not go to election, it is the people. Of course, you heard what Akume has been saying; that is what they want when he said I am arming livestock guards. But have you ever seen anyone with arm?