The Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom on Wednesday called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to begin the probe of President Muhammadu Buhari’s security vote before coming for him.

Speaking to journalists shortly after his state-wide television broadcast in Makurdi, the state capital, Ortom said he has never heard of anywhere in the world where security vote was investigated.

EFCC had on Monday claimed that it had begun investigation of the Benue State governor, some House of Assembly members as well as some permanent secretaries over the votes which amounted to about ₦22 billion.

“Why am I being investigated by the EFCC? My records are there. But so far, I am the only governor in Nigeria whose security vote is being investigated by the EFCC,” Ortom said.

He added: “How can you single me out of 36 governors for investigation?  It (security vote) is not something that any government will begin to disclose.  Why should Benue’s case be different if not persecution?

“If the EFCC wanted a genuine investigation of security vote spending, they should have started from the Presidency and across the 36 states. If their focus was on Benue State, they should have started from 1999.

“But this is not the case. With the enormous security challenges in the state since my assumption of office, it is surprising that any one would expect me to do nothing but keep the security vote in the safe.

“The security vote spendings being investigated spans from 2015 to 2018, a period of grave security challenges in the state. I reiterate that the investigation is a clear case of persecution.

“I have not misappropriated, diverted or stolen any money. I have nothing to hide. I assure that the investigators can find nothing incriminating against me.”

Speaking on the impeachment move against him, Ortom described it as illegal and said the people behind his impeachment had plotted another move to destabilise the state.

Ortom maintained that the motive behind the impeachment plan against him was to unleash the Fulani militia on the state, alleging that strange herdsmen and over 10,000 cows had already invaded Guma Local Government Area where he has his country home.