Impeachment: Police Commissioner Told Me It Was Order From Above – Ortom’s Adviser

Col. Paul Hemba (rtd), the Security Adviser to Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has disclosed that the decision of the police to shut down the state’s Assembly Complex yesterday was based on orders from above.

Hemba said this to newsmen on Tuesday, quoting the Commissioner of Police in the state,  Besan Gwana.

The security aide said, “I got in touch with the Commissioner of Police and he confirmed that yes, indeed, that it was the instruction and that he was acting on order from above.”

But Gwana denied any knowledge that the state’s Assembly Complex was shut by police.

He said, “I’m not in Makurdi, I am in Abuja at the moment, I will inquire from my officers and know whether there was anything like that and get back to you.”

Recall that eight members of the 30-member Benue State House of Assembly had on Monday served an impeachment notice on Governor Ortom.

The police immediately moved in to ensure security in the Assembly Complex and on Tuesday chased out all civil servants from the complex, including the Clerk of the House.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had at an emergency meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC) on Monday accused President Muhammadu Buhari, All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole and the senator representing Benue North West, Sen. George Akume as having a hand in the impeachment notice served on Ortom.

But the presidency has come out to debunk allegations of President Buhari’s involvement.

A statement through the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the president, Femi Adesina read, “Even while attending the ECOWAS/ECCAS Summit in Togo, strident attempts were made to drag President Muhammadu Buhari into the unfolding drama between the executive and the legislature in Benue State.

“Statements have been issued by different interest groups, insinuating that the President may have a hand in the development in Benue.

“This is paranoia at its worst, coming from people who have wittingly positioned themselves against the clean-up of the country, and the way we do things. They prefer business as usual.

“President Buhari will never be part of any unconstitutional act, and any attempt to link him with the inglorious past, when minority number of lawmakers impeached governors, will not stick.

“President Buhari will always stand by all that is noble and fair, and will reject attempts to drag him into infamy.”