Governor Suswam Denies Murder Allegation

Posted by admin Benue, Governors, Raw Politics, State News Friday, June 17th, 2011

The Benue State, Governor Gabriel Suswam has absolved himself of any complicity in the death of Charles Ayede, aide to the Action Congress of Nigeria gubernatorial candidate in the April polls, Prof. Torkuma Ugba.

Speaking during an exclusive interview with our correspondent in New York recently, Suswan said that it was rather unfortunate for someone like Professor Torkuma Ugba, who has lived in the United States for over 37 years to be making such spurious and baseless allegation.

“It is a very reckless and irresponsible statement coming from him that I was victimizing him or trying to kill him.

He even lied that I was the one that masterminded the killing of his associate that was killed in an attack that the police even confirmed to be an armed robbery case,” he added.

Governor Suswam continued that Professor Ugba would have accepted his defeat in good faith rather than making such an allegation against him if he had really acquainted himself with the way democracy operates in Nigeria.

His words: “He was not even on the road on the day armed robbers attacked two different places.

They also attacked two other States other than Benue on that same day. I do not have any killer squad, I do not believe in do-or-die politics.

What motivation would I have to kill the victim of the armed robbery attack who did not even contest election with me? I did not even know that the deceased was in the party.

I have won my election already so why did I have to kill?” he fumed.

He averred that the ACN governorship candidate was being sponsored by a group of persons who had determined to win elections in Benue State by all crooked means”, the governor said.

“Mr. Ugba is just making statements that are not his and that is rather unfortunate because people know me and they have never accused me of rigging or being intolerant to the opposition.

I have been in the National Assembly for eight years and this is my fourth contest in the State, so I am not surprised that this happened because those that sponsored him are intolerant and they want to win elections in Benue State by all means.

Suswam also disclosed that he did not persecute or victimize the ACN governorship candidate but said that he invited the police to make him substantiate the allegation of killing and attempted murder he made against him.

He said: “This is not a persecution or victimization at all.

When you make a reckless allegation or statement against someone, then you need to substantiate your claims. That was what i did and now he is accusing me of persecuting him.”

Speaking on his re-election, the Benue State Governor noted that the people in the State decided to have him back for a second term in office based on the belief they had in his leadership, stressing that he will target poverty alleviation through agriculture among other developmental projects in the next four years.

He also said that his administration will not relent in its efforts to create new roads and estates in Makurdi in order to expand and make it an urban center as against the rural community it used to be before now.

Asked of his reaction as his kinsman was returned as the Senate President, Suswam said that Senator David Mark was unanimously returned because he merited it, adding that he performed creditably well in the last tenure as the head of the Senate.wp_posts