By Femi Balogun, Abuja
Former Governor of Benue State, Dr. Gabriel Suswam was today a visitor of the Economics and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC ), where was invited over a petition concerning his eight years rule in the state.
According to a reliable source at the Commission, Suswam whose arrest follows last Friday’s questioning of the former Benue State Commissioner for Finance, Omadachi Oklobia, arrived the venue clad in a white kaftan, wearing the traditional black and white Tiv cap.
Our source who pleaded anonymity disclosed to our correspondent that the former Governor had stormed the commission with details and documents of financial misappropriation to the tune of N4billion which he inherited from his predecessor and former Minority leader of the Senate, Dr. George Akume.
The documents reveal that Akume had on the 27th of May, 2007 made a huge cash withdrawal of N2billion from the State treasury without appropriation and had committed same to his failed Senate Presidency bid in 2007.
Other documents tendered by Suswam also claimed that Akume had through the then Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs colluded with one Emmanuel Udende, who served as Commissioner in the ministry to loot the state treasury to the success of over N2billion, a burden which according to his account, he had consistently borne and hindered his performances in office as Governor.
He however denied all the allegations leveled against him claiming that his administration maintained the highest level of probity and transparency in the discharge of his duties to Benue people and always available to provide answers on every area of his stewardship .
Every attempt to reach the EFCC spokesman prove abortive as calls made to his telephone were not returned.
Similarly, a high court sitting in Makurdi today has granted the former governor’s request for a stay of proceedings in the ongoing judicial commission of enquiry instituted to probe his administration in Makurdi.
