By Sunday Ogli, Makurdi

DEPUTY Governor of Benue State, Dr Sam Ode, has dismissed the allegation of missing N20billion from the purse of the 23 Local Government Areas of the state at the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftancy Affairs, describing it as a hoax.

Dr Ode said the allegation was a figment of the imagination of those behind it since it was not possible for that to happen in the state.

The deputy governor who made the clarification while speaking to members of the Correspondents Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists,NUJ, Benue State Council paid him a courtesy call on Thursday in Makurdi stated that he also experienced a similar allegation when he was an Adviser at the Bureau during the administration of the then Governor Gabriel Suswam.

He, however, said that he received a clean bill after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, carried out discret investigation into the matter.

Hjs words: “When I was the Adviser on Local Government and Chieftancy Affairs, under the then Governor Gabriel Suswam, somebody wrote a petition against me to the EFCC, saying N46billion was missing.

“When I received the petition, before the EFCC could invite me, I took my letter headed paper and wrote to then Chairman of EFCC at the time and invited them to come and investigate the Bureau. The EFCC went on a discreet investigation and found nothing.

“The fact is that the Joint Account is a transit account. Monies that come to that account transit to the benefit of all the 23 LGAs.

“And so I do not see any basis for the allegation. No local government has called to say our money has not been given to us or our money has been stolen.

“But the matter is before the National Assembly, let us wait for the outcome of their investigation. And that is if they are empowered to investigate the matter and interrogate the Special Adviser and other staff of the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftancy Affairs.

“That is because the finances of the Local Governments are based squarely under the authority and purview of the Governor of a state through the House of Assembly.

“So let us wait and see, but as far as I am concerned. I want to tell you categorically that we do not have any missing N20billion from the local government purse in the state.

“It is a figment of the imagination of those that are making the allegation. I am confident that at the end of it all, the whole world will see that it was a hoax.”