Instant previous governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, on Friday stated that his opponents intentionally crafted lies within the build-up to the 2023 normal elections to make sure that he misplaced the election.
The previous governor said that his opponents intentionally lied in opposition to him on the possession of the Ethanol Firm, often known as Pure Bio Tech, situated alongside Gboko-Makurdi Highway.
Ortom disclosed this in a press release issued by his media aide, Terver Akase, in Makurdi, the state capital.
The assertion learn, “Although the report in query didn’t present proof to again its allegation that Chief Ortom owns the corporate, you will need to as soon as once more state that the previous governor is just not the proprietor of the enterprise.
“His Excellency Ortom doesn’t maintain even a single share within the firm, and he isn’t remotely affiliated with it.
“The narrative that Chief Ortom owns Pure Bio Tech was crafted by individuals who wished to take over authorities within the state by all means earlier than the 2023 elections.
“Such people manufactured blatant lies in opposition to Governor Ortom whom they accused of buying each obtainable land within the state capital and proudly owning each main personal enterprise within the state.
“Sadly, some individuals believed the marketing campaign of lies and hate in opposition to Chief Ortom earlier than and over the last election.”
Ortom recalled that one Stephen Numbeve who was not too long ago appointed by Governor Hyacinth Alia because the State Mission Coordinator, Rural Entry and Agricultural Advertising Mission served because the Useful resource Supervisor of the corporate from the inception of the corporate until his appointment in authorities.
Whereas lamenting that Numbeve, although, remained silent when the anti-Ortom marketing campaign on account of the corporate and different investments was ongoing earlier than the election, he later got here out after the election to make social media posts to reveal the true proprietor of the agency.
“The identical Numbeve had apologised to Chief Ortom on the fifteenth of March, 2021, when the governor paid an surprising go to to the corporate shortly after it started operations with out following due course of.
“Once more, in April 2023, the Ortom administration ordered for pressing investigation into actions of the corporate when it was found that its sewage disposal system was emptying waste into River Benue thereby contaminating the water and endangering aquatic life within the river.
“We problem these peddling the story that Ortom owns Pure Bio Tech to make public proof to assist their claims or tender apologies to the previous Governor,” the assertion learn in components.
Recall that the previous governor not solely misplaced his senatorial ambition, his social gathering, the Peoples Democratic Get together, but additionally misplaced the 2023 governorship election within the state.
