By Aare Abiodun Oluwarotimi
The Benue state commissioner for Health, Dr. Yanmar Ortese is at the verge of losing his job for looting the N300m which was released to him by Governor Hyacinth Alia to back the candidate of the Labour Party in the just-concluded Guma state Constituency bye-election.
Also, the Caretaker chairman of Guma local government, Simon Unougu has been accused of pocketing a total sum of N70m released to him by the governor to settle security operatives in favour of the Labour Party candidate in the election which was however won by the candidate of the All Progressive Congress.
Recall that Alia had two weeks before the election released N50m to the Labour Party candidate personally.
Few days later, the governor released N300m to his Health Commissioner, Dr. Ortese to ensure that the Labour Party candidate emerged winner in the bye-election.
According to sources, Ortese released N70m to the caretaker chairman of Guma local government for the purpose of security while he diverted the rest to his personal use. He didn’t release any fund to the Labour Party candidate.
A reliable source said: “Ortese did all to ensure that Governor Alia change his mind so the money could be used to support the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Jimin Geoffrey but all his explanations weren’t accepted by the governor who insisted that the N300m be used to mobilize votes for the Labour Party candidate.
“Realizing that the governor was hell bent on buying victory for the Labour Party candidate whom Ortese considered as someone he would not be able to control, he (Ortese) pocketed N230m after releasing N70m to the our caretaker chairman to settle the security.
“The Labour Party lost the election because he was starved of funds by Ortese who switched off his phones while the exercise lasted”
Nigerian Concord Newspaper can authoritatively report that Governor Alia has asked both Ortese and Unougu to refund the N300m with immediate effect or face sack.
Meanwhile, one Tersee Igbo, an Aide to a member of the State House of Assembly, Mr. Berger Alfred who exposed how the governor released public funds to work against his own party, APC at the bye-election has raised an alarm of threat to his life.
Igbo who exposed Governor Alia’s anti party activities during a recorded telephone conversation with Engineer David Ayar, a retired director with federal ministry of agriculture and close associate of SGF George Akume alleged that the governor has sent his men to threaten his life over the expository conversation.
According to him in a post on the social media this afternoon, thugs from the governor and his estranged boss, Berger Alfred have been on his trail since he exposed their anti party activities against the APC during the bye-election.