Benue corruption probe: Fresh trouble for ex-Gov Ortom as court throws out his suit, reason emerges

• Samuel Ortom on Tuesday, July 30, lost out in his attempt to prevent the Benue Government from probing his administration’s finances
• The court in Benue State dismissed the former governor and chieftain of the PDP Ortom's suit for lacking substance
• Legit.ng reports that Governor Alia had initiated two judicial commissions of inquiry in February to examine the Benue state government's funds (income and expenditure) from May 29, 2015, to May 28, 2023, during Ortom's tenure.

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

On Tuesday, July 30, a High Court in Makurdi dismissed two applications filed by the former governor of Benue, Samuel Ortom, stopping the Benue State Government from probing him.

Samuel Ortom, the former governor of Benue, is unable to stop the state government from probing him. Photo credit: Samuel Ortom
Source: Facebook

Legit.ng reports that Governor Hyacinth Alia constituted two commissions of inquiry to investigate Ortom.

Irked by the decision to probe him, Ortom sued the Benue government, attorney general, and members of the commission, challenging their competence to check his administration’s finances.

In his suit, Ortom stated that the state auditor general, who is mandated by the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, had already audited the state’s accounts.

"Ortom's suit lacked merit", Court ruled

Delivering a ruling on Tuesday, Justice Tertsea Asue dismissed the two originating motions and an application for extension of time instituted by counsel to Ortom, Maduabuchi Uba, for lack of merit, PremiumTimes reported.

Justice Asue held that the applicant’s case was statute-barred. He held that the applicant also failed to seek leave of court before filing the originating motion which seeks to bring his suit before the court.

"There was nothing in the Public Officers Protection Law or the rules of court that provided for an extension of time to file an action out of time."Both actions did not follow the required due process of law," the judge ruled.

“Alia can’t probe me”: Ortom brags

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Samuel Ortom lambasted his successor, his successor for initiating a lawsuit against his government.

The former Benue Governor Ortom maintained that Governor Hyacinth Alia cannot probe him because the state's auditor general had already investigated his administration.

Legit.ng reported that the court in Makurdi earlier halted Governor Hyacinth Alia's commission of inquiry from probing Ortom.

Source: Legit.ng