Alia kicks as Ortom vows to expose rot, looting in Benue

Former Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has launched a strong verbal attack on his successor, Governor Hyacinth Alia, accusing him of hypocrisy and looting state resources. Ortom vowed to expose alleged wrongdoings by the current administration, stating that remaining silent would imply guilt.

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As from today, I am going to be exposing this government (Alia administration) for its hypocrisy, outright looting of the state resources and evils committed against the people of the state and the ceding of our land to foreigners.

Ortom made these remarks during an interactive session with journalists, where he also reacted to a probe panel's report accusing his own administration of being unable to account for N139.8 billion during his eight-year tenure. He described the panel's actions as "pure persecution" and challenged Governor Alia to a public debate to compare their performances based on the resources accrued to each administration.

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So many lies have been said against me. After three years, I concluded that if I remain silent it will amount to admittance, so I need to defend myself and let the world know that what Alia is doing is pure persecution.

Reflecting on his past political differences, Ortom publicly apologized to Senator George Akume for a statement he made in 2019, admitting it was made out of arrogance. He announced a reconciliation with Akume, whom he now considers a leader, and expressed a desire to work together for the advancement of "Benue project" despite their different political parties. Ortom emphasized the need for leaders to prioritize state and national interests over partisan politics.

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During my prayers afterwards, I came to realise that the remark was made out of arrogance because I later acknowledged the fact that only God determines people’s destinies.

In response, Governor Alia's administration, through his Chief Press Secretary Kula Tersoo, dismissed Ortom's outburst. The administration stated that Ortom left behind a "heavy debt burden that was questionable." They clarified that the government was not pursuing a vendetta but was investigating legitimate "lapses and gaps" discovered in the handover notes, which necessitated inviting legitimate authorities to unravel the grey areas.

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Handover notes are meant to be studied. When you study them and discover lapses and gaps, you are bound to invite a legitimate authority to help you unravel the grey areas.