''Asking me to refund money i used on projects is disheartening-Fmr Gov Gabriel Suswam breaks his silence over STEALING allegation

Former Governor of Benue State, Dr. Gabriel Suswam, at the weekend, broke his silence over allegations that he milked the state dry by carting away N107 billion alongside his cronies during his tenure.

He said Governor Samuel Ortom was just desperate to send him to jail to make the best governor of the state. Suswam, who spoke in Makurdi, the state capital, said one hundred per cent of the Kpojime Commission’s report asking him to refund such whopping amount was not only laughable, but also predicated on lies and was intended to rubbish him despite the numerous projects his administration embarked upon during the period.

According to him, the alleged N107 billion was invested in infrastructure most of which were being put to use by the current administration in the state.

But reacting to the former governor’s comment yesterday, Governor Ortom’s Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase, said the former governor was yet to tell the people the truth about the allegation, saying that the Kpojime Report was a true reflection of what happened during Suswam’s tenure as it was done in a transparent manner.

Akase said the commission’s report has since been tabled before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), adding that some people have also been arrested in connection with the alleged scam while others indicted had been invited by the police and the EFCC for interrogation.

“Our job as government is that we have tabled our matter before security operatives and the law enforcement agencies to look into it and see if truly Benue’s money was stolen, they are the ones to say that yes the N107 billion was stolen from the coffers of Benue State at different times and the next thing to do is to recover this money and bring it back to the coffers of government for development and that’s what Governor Ortom is here to do.”

But Suswam said it was disheartening to request him to refund money on the Greater Makurdi Water Works and the Aper Aku Stadium projects for which contracts were awarded and work done and put to use.

He noted that if developing the state was indeed an offence that would attract a jail term, he would rather thank God. “If at the end of the day I go to jail for serving the state, I will continue to thank God, that is what my governor wants.

His desperate intention is that I go to jail, and if I go to jail, he becomes the best governor in Benue State so be it, I am not crying to anybody.” Suswam believes that “the core essence of any government is to make sure that the welfare of the people is enhanced,” but devoting the precious time of government to insult him on radio, in burial grounds and churches will not change what is on ground.”