Tsav accuses Ortom of nepotism, executive recklessness

Abubakar Tsav, federal public complaints commissioner of the federation overseeing Benue state has accused Samuel Ortom, the governor, of nepotism and executive recklessness.

In a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari dated May 16, he alleged that the governor has placed his “family business” – Oracle Business Limited – above the state.

According to NAN, the ten-page letter, titled ‘Whistleblowing: Stagnation of Benue state,’ was also addressed to the governor.

In it, he alleged that Ortom had awarded most state contracts to his family members.

“On July 12, 2015, Michael Ortom, your brother who is the ceo, Oracle Business Ltd, wrote a letter congratulating you on your electoral victory as governor of Benue state,” the letter read.

“In the same letter he presented a proposal for the supply of thirty (30) units of Toyota Prado Jeeps Model Fx –2014 as government official vehicles at the cost of N18 million per unit, amounting to N540 million.

“This was not advertised and there was no open bidding, but you approved and directed the secretary to the state government (SSG) on July 17, 2015 to treat. No due process was followed. This was the same executive recklessness that led the former governor of Adamawa State to a five year jail term.

“On October 15, 2015, in a letter no. SSG/CONF/1520/VOL.1/13, your SSG directed the commissioner for finance to pay the sum of N540 million to Oracle Business Ltd for the supply of the 30 Prado SUVs.”

He alleged that on October 18, 2015, the governor directed the state’s accountant general, in writing, to pay the sum, “reinforcing the earlier approval of the SSG in his letter quoted above”.

“The whole affair is messy, clumsy and depicts nepotism cum corruption,” Tsav said while accusing the governor of “using his office to force government to patronize his private businesses”.

Tsav, a former commissioner of police in Lagos state, further alleged in the letter that one of the governor’s in-laws has also won a contract for “cleaning Benue government house”.

“You cannot use the Bible on one hand and criminality on the other to exploit Benue people if you are truly a man of God,” he wrote.

“This is arrant selfishness and greed. Please pay workers their legitimate rights if you claim to be a man of God.”

Tsav said the governor used his office to hijack ‘Feed Mill Factory’, a humanitarian project meant for the state, alleging that he “incorporated the mill into his family company, Oracle Business Limited.

“This project is now located amongst your companies at Industrial Layout on Naka Road, Makurdi,” he said.

“The factory is now fully operational as a business entity of Oracle Business Ltd, wholly owned by your family company with 16 Chinese nationals working in your farm, contrary to the intentions of the donors.

“This business being a humanitarian project was offered free or at minimal costs for the benefit of the people of Benue state; but this was not to be. It is understood that you used your influence to hijack this project and integrate it to Oracle farm.”

The state government has denied the allegations made by Tsav.

Terver Akase, chief press secretary to the governor, was quoted as saying that “Tsav’s only mission is to bring down the present administration”.

“A government medium like NAN should be more interested in telling the people what government is doing to better their lot and getting feedback from them. It is for that noble purpose that NAN is funded with taxpayers’ money, not to create strife in the polity,” he was quoted to have said.