A Benue State High Court in Makurdi has halted the Commission of Inquiry set up by Governor Hyacinth Alia to investigate his predecessor, Samuel Ortom. The suspension will remain in place until the court determines a suit filed by Ortom challenging the probe.
Governor Alia established two judicial commissions in February to examine the income and expenditure of Benue State from May 29, 2015, to May 28, 2023, during Ortom’s tenure. However, Justice T. T. Asua issued an order on Wednesday to pause the inquiry, following an ex parte application by Ortom’s lawyer, Oba Maduabuchi (SAN).
Maduabuchi argued that the state’s Auditor General had already audited and certified the accounts for Ortom’s administration. These reports had been submitted to the Benue State House of Assembly, as required by the amended 1999 constitution. The Assembly had acted on the Auditor General’s findings, which were published in multiple Benue State Gazettes, making them public records.
Given these circumstances, Maduabuchi asserted that Governor Alia lacked the authority to form panels to further investigate Ortom. Justice Asua agreed, granting the motion to suspend the inquiry.
