A fresh war of words has erupted between former Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, and his successor, Hyacinth Alia, over allegations of financial mismanagement and the state of governance in Benue.
Speaking during an interactive session with journalists at his residence in Makurdi on Tuesday, Ortom dismissed allegations that his administration failed to account for N139.8 billion during his eight years in office.
The former governor described Alia as a “hypocrite” and vowed to begin exposing what he called the shortcomings and alleged misdeeds of the current administration.
According to Ortom, he had remained silent for nearly three years despite repeated accusations from the state government, but said he could no longer keep quiet.
“From today, I will begin exposing this administration for what it truly is. There have been too many falsehoods against me, and remaining silent would amount to admitting guilt,” he said.
The former governor also accused the Alia administration of mismanaging state resources and abandoning the interests of Benue people.
He challenged the governor to a public debate, proposing that both leaders present their records and compare their performances based on the resources available to each administration.
Beyond the political dispute, Ortom reflected on his past relationship with former Benue governor and current political leader, George Akume. He admitted regretting a statement he made after the 2019 elections in which he claimed he had “retired Akume politically.”
Ortom described the remark as arrogant and said he later realised that only God determines a person’s destiny.
He disclosed that he had since reconciled with Akume and now works with him despite belonging to different political parties, stressing that the interest of Benue should come before partisan considerations.
Responding through his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, Governor Alia dismissed Ortom’s allegations and insisted that his administration inherited a huge and questionable debt burden.
The governor maintained that there was no personal vendetta against his predecessor, noting that commissions of inquiry are legitimate tools for examining the activities of past administrations.
“Handover notes are meant to be studied. Where gaps and inconsistencies are discovered, the appropriate authorities are expected to investigate them,” the statement said.
Alia also questioned why Ortom was uncomfortable being investigated when, as governor, he established a panel to probe the administration of former governor Gabriel Suswam.
The governor further claimed that his administration continues to grapple with the consequences of decisions taken under Ortom, citing multiple garnishee orders running into billions of naira.
According to him, the state is still dealing with legal and financial liabilities arising from what he described as poor handling of government affairs by the previous administration.
Alia also accused Ortom of relying on propaganda during his time in office, arguing that Benue people are now witnessing the effects of those policies.
The latest exchange underscores the deepening political rivalry between the two leaders, who have repeatedly clashed over governance, performance and the management of state resources since Alia assumed office.
