The immediate past Governor of Benue State, Chief Samuel Ortom has described as false the allegation that he is the owner of the ethanol company, Pure Bio-Tech, located along Gboko-Makurdi road.
The Media Aide to the former Governor, Terver Akase, in a statement, Friday stressed that Ortom does not hold even a single share in the company and he is not remotely affiliated with it.
The statement reads: “We read an online report on the Benue State Government’s sealing of the ethanol company known as Pure Bio Tech located along Gboko-Makurdi road in which the immediate past Governor of the state, Chief Samuel Ortom was said to be the owner of the firm.
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“Though the report in question did not provide evidence to back its allegation that Chief Ortom owns the company, it is important to once again state that the former Governor is not the owner of the enterprise. His Excellency Ortom does not hold even a single share in the company and he is not remotely affiliated with it.
“The narrative that Chief Ortom owns Pure Bio Tech was crafted by persons who wanted to take over government in the state by all means before the 2023 elections. Such individuals manufactured blatant lies against Governor Ortom whom they accused of purchasing every available land in the state capital and owning every major private business in the state.
“Sadly, some people believed the campaign of lies and hate against Chief Ortom before and during the last election.
“It should be recalled that Stephen Numbeve who was recently appointed by Governor Hyacinth Alia as the State Project Coordinator, Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) served as the Resource Manager of Pure Bio Tech right from the inception of the company till his appointment in government. Though he remained silent when the anti Ortom campaign on account of the company and other investments was ongoing before the election, he came out (belatedly) after the election to make social media posts to disclose the real owner of the firm (see attached screenshots).
“The same Numbeve had apologized to Chief Ortom on the 15th of March, 2021 when the Governor paid an unexpected visit to the company shortly after it began operations without following due process. Again, in April 2023, the Ortom administration ordered for urgent investigation into activities of the company when it was discovered that its sewage disposal system was emptying waste into River Benue thereby contaminating the water and endangering aquatic life in the river.
“We challenge those peddling the story that Ortom owns Pure Bio Tech to make public evidence to support their claims or tender apologies to the former Governor. “
