From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi
Immediate past Governor of Benue State Chief Samuel Ortom has stated that no aircraft was handed over to him when he was Governor, adding that he did not include such in his hand over notes to Governor Hyacinth Alia.
It would be noted that Governor Alia was quoted by his media aide to have made the allegation that he understands the state has an airplane but its whereabouts is still been(sic) looked into during a zoom meeting with the Benue diaspora community organized by the Mutual Union of Tiv in America MUTA and the Idoma Association in the United States.
While reacting to this allegation, Chief Ortom through his former media aide Terver Akase in a state ment made available to newsmen in Makurdi on Monday, stated categorically that if the Benue State Government purchased an aircraft before Chief Samuel Ortom became Governor in 2015, such a transaction was not part of the handover notes that he received from his predecessor, and no aircraft was handed to the State Government under Ortom.
He further said thst throughout his two tenures (2015 – 2023), his administration did not buy an airplane, maintaining that when he was leaving office, the handover notes he presented to his successor, Governor Alia also had no indication that the state purchased/owned an aircraft.
“An allegation of this nature is too weighty to be swept under the carpet, and only its proof will enable Benue people to know the truth.
“We therefore, challenge Governor Alia to show evidence that the Benue State Government owned an aircraft before he became Governor. He should do this with proof of the date and amount paid for the plane, model/manufacturer of the aircraft, as well as the particular administration that purchased it.
“On the Governor’s frequent statements that all his predecessors performed badly and Makurdi, the state capital, was a glorified village before he was elected, we will not bother to comment on that. If a Governor who is supposed to be the chief image-maker of his state decides to brand it as backward and poorly developed, so be it”.
