I Was A Billionaire Before I Became Governor- Ortom

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has said he is in government not to enrich himself, saying, he was already a billionaire before he became a governor.

Ortom, who spoke with journalists, was reacting to his estranged godfather, Senator George Akume’s allegation at the Buhari’s presidential campaign rally held at Aper Aku Stadium in Makurdi on Wednesday.

Senator Akume had accused Ortom of using his office to enrich himself.

Akume had said, “Today, there is one governor in the North-Central Nigeria, (a veiled reference to Ortom) who is richer than Buhari and has more money than Buhari in just three-and-a-half years of being a governor.

“The most notorious problem facing Benue today is the use of livestock guards. These people have been killing Benue people because they were armed with Ak47.

But in his reaction, Ortom lambasted the Akume, stating that the senator ought to be in prison for allegedly stealing N2bn when he was exiting Government House in 2007.

Ortom said, “The truth of the matter is that Akume cannot hold me responsible for not being able to provide jobs; I was a billionaire before I became governor.