‘You may do well to refund N2bn stolen to pay salaries’, Ortom’s dirty call with Akume leaked

By Sylvanus Okpe

The political standoff between the former Governor of Benue State and now Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Senator Geoge Akume and his successor, the incumbent Governor Samuel Ortom seems to have taken a ugly turn as the latter called the former and engaged him in a heated argument over what he described as “frivolities” and frequent throwing of tantrums on him and some respected leaders of the state.

The ex-governor had bankrolled the governorship election of the later in 2015, but things got awry between the duo at the wake of the subtle campaigns for the 2019 general elections forcing Governor Samuel Ortom to dump the APC for the People’s Democratic Party, PDP where he won his re-election as Governor of the state in 2019.

In the leaked video, Ortom was recorded to have lashed out at the ex-Senator, insisting that he refund the N2billion he stole from the coffers of the state to enable him to transform the food basket state into ‘small London’.

In what might not go down well with members of the ruling party in the state, Ortom also asked the Minister to do the state a greater favour by asking his successor ( former Governor Gabriel Suswan and now Senator representing Benue North-East zone in the Nigerian Senate) to refund the N109billion he stole from the coffers of the state to also ease regular payment of workers salary in the state. This did not down well with many members of the party and analysts who believed that Suswan being a respected member of the PDP ought not to have called him out in such a disrespectful manner.

Read an unadulterated content of the call below;

(Ortom)

HIS EXCELLENCY

1. Orvesen, I called to inform you that politics is now over and since politics is about governance and the people, I want to let you know that I want to settle down and deliver democratic dividend to our people. I do not intend to join issues with you on the insults you have been dishing out on me, my wife and the Paramount ruler. I have no luxury of time and energies to engage in frivolities.

2 I intend to concentrate in the remainder of my tenure to execute my development plans as encapsulated in my blueprint “Our Collective Vision for a New Benue” which you did not allow me to implement in my first tenure as a result of my loyalty to you.

3. You may do well to refund 2Billion you stole to enable me pay salaries. You will do me a greater favour to request your successor to refund the 109 Billion he stole with his cohort. I wish to use that amount to turn our state into a small London.

4. Take Notice that failure, refusal and neglect to abide by this simple request shall leave me with no option but to explore legal options at my disposal to recover these amounts. You are well aware of my principles that “If you chop money, money will chop you”.

5. You failed to implement your blueprint “Benue Advance Plan” in your 8 years. Your successor failed to implement his blueprint “Our Benue Our Future” in his 8 years. Despite that I failed to implement my blueprint in my first tenure, as a man of God who trust in God and wish to be transparent and accountable to God and the good people of Benue State, I have decided to go back to the drawing board and provide democratic dividend to the Benue people.

(Akume)

ORVESEN

1. Your Excellency, I have been looking forward to sitting with you so we could discuss, but since you decided to use this medium then fine.

2. Take note however that I made you governor to continue the good things I did in my 8 years. I faithfully implemented my blueprint “Benue Advance Plan”.

I had issues with my successor when he derailed and abandoned the implementation of on going projects and his blueprint. It was against this background I brought his kinsman from Logo and tried to replace him to no avail.

2. In 2015 I was able to install you as governor against all odds.

Since you attributed your failures in the first term as a result of your loyalty to me, I wish you well in your second term.

Let me remind you however that governance is not the payment of salaries. Payment of salaries up-to-date since you withdrew your loyalty to me as you alleged cannot be achievements.

3. I look forward to you doing much more especially in implementing your blueprint which according to you, you were not able to implement in your first term

4. As regard the 2 Billion and 109 Billion stolen by me and my successor, you have the right to explore all legal options to recover same. It shouldn’t be a matter of threat.

5. I will advice that you also explore the possibility of partnering with me as a Minister and my successor as Senator to bring development to our dear state.

As you stated earlier, governance is all about the people, as leaders of our people, we must bury our differences and pursue courses that will bring development to our dear state.