Governor Sam Ortom has rejected the request by his immediate past Chief of Staff (CoS), Hon. Terwase Orbunde is to be reimbursed to the tune of N160 million he allegedly invested in the governor’s campaign during the 2015 electioneering campaign.
Orbunde, a two-term CoS to Ortom, had written to the governor via a letter dated 23 April 2022 titled, “Appeal for Reimbursement,” claiming that he had sold his Abuja property to raise the money which he spent on the campaign.
He noted that he was constrained to ask for a refund since he has no other means of making money to resettle his family upon leaving office.
“It is my desire to arrange a place and move my family and property out of Commissioners Quarters (Makurdi), as soon as possible. This has made this request very pressing and inevitable, since I do not have other sources of raising funds now,” Orbunde, who was a governorship aspirant in the 2023 election, said.
However, in a response sighted by the Tribune Online on Tuesday, Governor Ortom said he had no recollection of any money invested in his campaign by Orbunde.
The Governor accused his former CoS of acting in bad faith if he was only just asking for a refund after seven years of his administration in office.
In the letter dated 23 April, 2022, the governor said he would have been willing to assist the former top aide to the best of his ability if he had sought help.
In the response titled, “Re: Appeal for Reimbursement,” Governor Ortom wrote: “The fact that we worked together in 2014 ambition to realize my Governorship cannot be over-emphasized.
“However, as the Chief Visioner, I was always aware and in control of all the interventions from friends and associates aimed at prosecuting my elections and such were always acknowledged.
“I really cannot recall when we discussed and you made available or invested the sum of One Hundred and Sixty Million Naira (N160,000,000.00) in my campaign or election in 2015 or at any other time at all.
“As my political ally, if this request is coming from you for assistance, it would be understood and I can always assist as usual to the best of my ability.
“I am rather surprised that this appeal for reimbursement is coming after year (7) years of my becoming Governor of Benue and therefore, I consider same as made in bad faith, to say the least.”
Orbunde was one of the several Benue State officials who resigned to seek the 2023 gubernatorial ticket under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but failed to get the nod of the party stakeholders who opted to choose the flag bearer from outside his zone.
Credit: Nigerian Tribune