Benue Govt, Tsav case: Court adjourns to Nov. 1st for hearing

From Uche Nnorom Makurdi

A Magistrate Court presided over by Isaac Ajim has adjourned to November 1st, 2017for further hearing in the matter between Benue State government and social critic Abubakar Tsav.
The erstwhile Lagos State Commissioner of Police is accusing Governor Samuel Ortom of awarding contract for purchase of vehicles to his company, Oracle Business Limited.
Angered by this allegation which it viewed as ‘false’, Benue State government filed a suit against Tsav.
In his claims, Tsav who is Federal Commissioner, Public Complaints Commission for Benue State, alleged that Ortom awarded contract to his company Oracle Business Limited chaired by his younger brother Mike Ortom, adding that the sum of over 540 million was paid to the company approved by the State Executive Council.
But counsel to the State government Andrew Wombo while addressing newsmen at the court premise, described the allegations as false, maintaining that the documents were forged.
“The document was said to have been purportedly made by the former Secretary to the State Government Barr. Targema Takema which claimed that he directed the Commissioner for Finance to pay the sum of 540 million naira to Oracle Business Limited. We called the attention of the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice Mike Gusah who outrightly denied that the document did not emanate from government. That it is a forged document.
“The State government even availed us of memos and executive Council extracts which showed clearly that the contract for the purchase of the jeeps was awarded to NEZAM Transport Limited based in Kaduna and MIA 3 Translort company, Oracle Business Limited was not involved.
Counsel to Alh. Abubakar Tsav Anthony Agadah intimated that he has filed a stay of proceeding challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the suit.
He cited section 39 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which bothers on fundamental human right, stating that the right of expression of his clients has been breached even as he added that they are challenging the powers of the Attorney-General of the State to prosecute his client.