Alleged Corruption: Recant Your Statement, Apologize – Ortom Tells Akume

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has asked Senator George Akume to apologise and recant the corruption allegations made against him.

The governor made this known on Tuesday when some traditional rulers of Tiv extraction in the state visited him at the Government House in Markurdi, the state capital.

Naija News recalls that Ortom had sued the former governor and Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, for N60 billion for defaming him during a press conference in Abuja.

Addressing the monarchs, Ortom said he sued the minister because the corruption allegations levelled against him were weighty and libelous.

The governor added that he had to drag Akume to court to give him an opportunity to prove the allegations with evidence.

Ortom asked the traditional rulers to appeal to Akume to recant his position through another press conference and tender a public apology for his actions.

He condemned Akume for asking security agencies to arrest Benue farmers with cutlasses and den guns without demanding the arrest of herdsmen who carries Ak-47 and other sophisticated weapons to attack the farmers and chase from their ancestral homes.

Ortom revealed that he had already constituted a committee to probe the administration of Senator Akume as Governor, stressing that he would file a case against the minister at the anti-graft agencies after the investigations were concluded.

Reacting, spokesman for the traditional rulers, Chief Daniel Abomtse, appealed to the minister to recant his allegations against the governor for peace to reign.

The traditional rulers condemned the attempt by some politicians to change the narrative on the killings in Benue for political gains and selfish reasons.